Worst Band Rehearsal Ever
by redroses100
Summary: Who knew going to a Saturday band practice would lead to a run in with several mythical creatures, including but not limited to, Jack Frost and the Boogeyman. This is all crazy, and I'm not asking you to believe it, but i swear they're real. And i swear I'm never going to get up early on a weekend only to get harassed by some stuck up English man made of sand ever again.
1. Chapter 1

I flinch as I'm rudely awoken by a persistent beeping. The annoyingly shrill noise seeps into my brain, right past my logical thoughts into the crazy part of my brain that made me eat a snail when I was little. And it just keeps repeating. Finally I can't take it anymore and angrily sit up to seek out the source of the noise. And I'm not happy to discover it's my alarm clock. I'm less happy to realize it's waking me up at 9:30 am on a Saturday. I slam my hand on the off button, the clock cutting off in the middle of a beep.

I immediately want to go demand why this is happening from my parents, but before I get to my door I pass my calender, which loudly boasts a note for this particular Saturday. One saying, 'Band Dress Rehearsal!' in red sharpie. Well. That explains it. But it does nothing to pacify me. In fact, it just pisses me off more once I see it.

"Took you long enough to turn that off Maxious." My sister who sleeps on the bunk above me mutters angrily. I roll my eyes, though she can't see it, and mark an X on my calendar.

"Why are you complaining? You get to go back to sleep." I mutter bitterly. She makes some sort of satisfied noise and shifts into a more comfortable position. With some discreet cuss words, I wipe the sleep out of my eyes and set out to get dressed and ready.

On school days I don't normally go to _any_ lengths at all when I get ready, just going for jeans and t-shirts. However, Saturdays usually find me in something a bit nicer. Though, usually it's not 9:30 in the morning when I get up on Saturdays. Usually I'm more willing to put in the effort. Today though...jeans and t-shirt it is! I grab my shirt I got from my dad last Christmas, featuring the Roadrunner, Wile E. Coyote, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Wile E. is paying off a victorious Sonic who has the Roadrunner by his skinny neck. Beneath the cartoon is the caption, 'OUTSOURCING'. It's sort of a joke between dad and me. We're the only ones in my rather large and crazy family who like the Roadrunner cartoons, so we're the only ones who think the shirt is funny.

After pulling on my clothes and some mustache socks, I make my way to the bathroom I share with my three sisters. I brush my hair, which is brown like my dads and falls to the middle of my back in delicate waves. The sanitary stuff comes next, the brushing of teeth and applying of deodorant, etc. Then I splash some water on my face just to finish waking myself and half walk, half stumble to the front room. My mom and two of my brothers are already up, watching some show about crazy huge fish in Brazil or something, and my mom gives me a weird look when she sees me.

"She lives. Before noon." She smirks.

"Ha ha." I roll my eyes bitterly. My family thinks it's hilarious that I sleep in the latest on weekends. But I sleep in because I do stuff during the week. Only dad, my oldest brother, and me really do. But dad and Lance do stuff on the weekends too, otherwise they would sleep in as well. I go straight to the fridge, grabbing a water bottle, and collapse on an empty part of the couch.

"When am I taking you over Max?" Mom asks with a monotone voice that says she's solving some sort of puzzle. Sudoku or a crossword. Mom is always working on some kind of puzzle. Because she doesn't have anything else to be doing. I mean, she doesn't work, she doesn't clean, she doesn't have any little kids to fuss over. I'm the youngest and I'm 17. I haven't been fussed over since I was like 10. Instead she mass collects puzzle books and mystery novels.

"10:10." I murmur between yawns. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night. I knew I had this band rehearsal, but I still didn't fall asleep until nearly 5 am. Some of that is my fault. The rest is the night terrors. Everyone of my ten member family has had them. Even our parents. But theirs all went away around age 6. Mine just kind of refuse to let go.

I drift in and out of one minute dreams until my mom announces it's time to go. I finish off my water and check to make sure I have my wallet and phone before slipping on my shoes and following mom down to the car. She immediately rolls down the windows, even though it's hot as hell outside and air conditioner would be appreciated. May in Mesa, Arizona. Not so good. Not. So. Good. But my mother swears by windows, not AC.

"I'll get you reeds today and bring them by during the rehearsal." _Because the past three weeks I've been asking you for more were just suggestions. Now that the concert is right around the corner, you're serious about getting them_. I don't know why that annoys me so much. But a lot of what my mom and siblings do annoys me.

"Thanks." I yawn rather than get into it with her. Most of what I think never reaches my lips. Which sometimes I think is a shame because some things need to be said, and some people need a good yelling at. Just, I guess, not by me. She pulls into the parking lot by the performing arts part of my High School and stops near the door.

"Call when you're done, or I can leave the reeds in your locker."

"Sure, I'll leave the lock open." I agree quickly and jump out. I'm pretty ridiculously early, but anything to limit the tension and awkwardness between me and pretty much every one of my family members. Even my dad, who I love, is awkward to be around for me. On account of my eyes. My mom has blue eyes. My dad has blue eyes. I have lavender eyes. Like for real, pale purple eyes. All my other siblings have blue eyes like our parents, no one knows where I get them. And we all refuse to even acknowledge the idea that maybe mom cheated on dad, cuz that's just ridiculous. He's the only one who can put up with her. So I'm just an anomaly.

"Max!" One of the members of my section, I play clarinet, sees me as I walk in the band room, and runs over to hug me. I don't really know Ally well, but she seems nice enough. She hugs everyone. Even weird lavender-eyed Max. And she's in my section, of which I'm the leader, so I let her. "You're here early too!" She points out the obvious. Technically the rehearsal for my band class, the Symphonic Band, doesn't start until 10:45 and it's barely 10:20. But I overestimated the time I would need to get here and waiting around home was not an option, with all my siblings who live and breath to tease and torment me.

"I woke up early." I lie. Then I scan the room for the rest of my section. Some of them might already be in the Auditorium watching the higher band, Wind Ensemble, have their rehearsal that started a few hours before ours, but in here there's only Ally, a boy named Banker, a freshman girl named Shannon, and me. I'm missing three of my clarinetists, and I can only pray they get here on time or Tocker, the Nazi band director, will not be happy.

"Hey, did you hear the Tenor who's singing with us is coming in this morning?" Ally chatters as she follows me into the locker room to put my clarinet together. For some reason, Tocker decided to make our final concert of the year even more impossibly technical and over the top by asking an opera singer to come sing with us playing the music behind him. And for some even more unfathomable reason, the opera singer said yes. So now we're playing our music, opera music, and this piece for the seniors, which I happen to be included in that last category.

"That's good. Wouldn't want to play the concert without first playing with him." I acknowledge, kneeling on the ground to twist the joints of my instrument together. I choose my least unacceptable reed and grab the little shot glass I keep in my case. Gee those new reeds I'm not getting until I get out of the rehearsal sure would be nice right about now. I've been playing on the same five reeds for like five months now. Which is not only gross, but also not very musically acceptable. Luckily Tocker hasn't notices yet. Mostly cuz I'm pretty good on my instrument so whether or not the reed sucks is generally left up to viewer discretion. But, I'm the viewer and my discretion says my reeds suck.

"Look, Lulu is here." Ally points out and I glance at the door where one of the remaining three clarinetists has just come in. Good. Two more and we'll have a full house. In my section at least. I frown as I think about how it's only my section because I'm the oldest and most experienced in the lower band. But...it's still the lower band. I got moved down after I quit marching band two years ago. And even though I'm better than some of the first clarinetists in the higher band, Tocker won't move me back up.

"Wanna call Jash and Kayla, make sure they're coming?" I ask Ally. She nods, happy to have a job, and races off to borrow someone's phone. I take the shot glass to the little drinking fountain in the band room and fill it enough to put my reed in. I much prefer this method to wetting the reed myself. Especially since I've gone so long on this one. Not for much longer though, assuming mom remembers to get new reeds and doesn't flake out. Which has been known to happen before so, who knows. I glance around at the other people besides my section, only to find no one I like enough to talk to.

Grabbing my music folder, I leave the band room and make my way to the next door Auditorium to watch the end of Wind Ensemble's rehearsal. They're playing _Vesuvius_ by Frank Ticheli, one of my favorite pieces, so I like listening to them. It makes me even madder that I got kicked out and didn't get to play it with them. There's a few other kids, all from different sections, scattered around watching. I avoid them and find a little empty part of the seats to sit and soak my reed.

It's still really early, and I may be half asleep, but I swear sometimes I see little flashes out of the corner of my eye. Like blurs. But by the time I turn my head to see, they're gone. I blame it on the sleep deprivation and settle further into my seat, shuddering to myself. It is really cold in the auditorium. I can't wait to be up on stage under the lights. It's warmer there. And I get my wish. Tocker finishes up with the Wind Ensemble and sends them on their way. He goes to the band room to call all the Symphonic band members in, and I take the opportunity to get set up while he's gone. Give him a nice little surprise when he comes back. I know I unnerve him. I unnerve a lot of people. But Tocker doesn't like people who intimidate him so he's constantly scowling at me. Me and my lavender eyes and bad moods and quiet brilliance.

"Butler." That's the only way Tocker will refer to me. By my last name. And always in a way that makes me think it's a cuss word.

"Tocker." I acknowledge in near the same tone. Once everyone has come in, Tocker lists the order of our music. The_ Holst Suite in E Flat_, _The John Williams Suite_, and _Kentucky Song_. Then he lists the opera music we'll be working on. _O Mio Babbino Caro, Con Te Partiro, Bring Him Home, _and_ Nessun Dorma. _

"Mr. Johnny Albridge and Mrs. Tocker will be here at 11:00 to start practicing the opera stuff." Tocker announces. I knew his wife was an opera singer too, but I didn't know she was going to be singing with us too. Though, I suppose it makes sense. Since _O Mio Babbino Caro _and_ Con Te Partiro_ have female parts. There's a murmur of excitement that ripples through our smaller band. Jash, the other first clarinet in symphonic band, smiles wide at me. He's more excited about this whole concert than I am. "SO...we need to get to work on our stuff so when they get here we'll be ready to start on it.

We immediately jump into the music after tuning. By the time 11:00 rolls around, we're done with two of our pieces, going over our third. We've been doing this music most of the semester, so I'm not shocked by how quickly we're going through it. Still, damn. I think we're making good time, and Tocker isn't stopping us much to comment. It's while we're playing the corral part of _Kentucky Song_ that Mr. Albridge and Mrs. Tocker show up. Tocker cuts us off and steps aside so Mr. Albridge can introduce himself. I'm paying such close attention to the magnificent mountain of a man that I don't even notice the sand until it's wrapped around his legs to his knees. I jump up with a gasp, pointing at it.

All eyes follow my finger to the fine black sand that's twining it's way up Mr. Albridge's legs, now to his waist. And Tocker's too! And Mrs. Tocker! All three of them are immobilized in only a few moments, before the sand starts yanking them back. Over the pit. Once completely over the pit, the sand drops the three adults into the sub-level hole and seals over it, leaving only twenty some high school students in a suddenly freezing cold auditorium. And a very dark auditorium as well. It seems like the very air is darkening and condensing, especially in one corner.

From the darkest, densest part of that black corner, suddenly golden eyes shine, like two matches on a moonless night. The eyes seem to taunt us even from where they are. Slowly, ever so slowly, a man emerges from the darkness, the owner of the golden eyes. Black sand seeps from him, shooting over the seats, covering the walls, turning the room even darker. I can't even inch back as it comes ever closer with the dark man. I feel frozen.

The man glances at all of us in boredom, like he's some kinda big shot, then at the pit where shouting can be vaguely heard. With a twitch of his wrist, the obscure shouting is silenced, but I shudder to wonder just what he's done to quiet the three older folks. I look him over as he leisurely gets closer to the stage. Horribly, terribly slower. Taking all the time in the world. And stealing a bit more of my breath as he comes.

He has gray skin, smooth but grainy like the sand. And shining ever so slightly like tiny crystals are imbedded deep in his flesh. He wears a cloak seemingly made of shadow and the sand he commands. And his hair is the darkest shade of black I've ever seen. Everything about him is gray or black or dark, except his eyes. Which shine with dangerous madness despite the disinterest in them as he studies us. I feel his amber eyes on me for moments before they flick to the next kid. But in those moments, my heart jumps to my throat, threatening to completely constrict it.

"I am looking for Jack Frost." He speaks and his voice is rich, smooth, and seeps into my very brain, but condescending. Like we're not worthy of his time, but he's obligated to talk to us about Jack Frost anyways. Despite my heart still being in my throat, my natural sarcasm flares dangerously, wanting to speak out with a witty remark. But no one, not even me, seems to be able to speak. And the man frowns. "I said, I am looking...for Jack Frost." He enunciates like we're simpletons, baring his sharp teeth in annoyance. This time I can't help it.

"I think you're geography teacher should be immediately retired if you're looking for Jack Frost in Mesa Arizona. In case you didn't know, we're sorta the opposite of cold here." He glances down at me with distaste before the strangest look crosses his face. Something a mix of pleasure and curiosity. It's not a very pleasant look to me. In fact, it's downright creepifying. Suddenly a wide grin nearly splits his face in two. That's even worse.

"Quite a natural leader you are." He motions to the others on the stage, who unbeknownst to me have all huddled together a good five feet behind me, getting far away from this intimidating man. One girl is even weeping ever so slightly. My eyes go wide at them. How could they leave me standing alone like that? I know none of them much care for me, but still. You'd think they'd drag me back with them or something!

"Only by accident." I mutter back to the man. His grin only grows in it's devilish creepiness. He takes a unhurried step forward and puts his hand under my chin. A shiver shoots down my spine at the feel of his skin. Not grainy like I thought, but smooth as glass or water. But it almost burns, only not in a heat way.

"You're no Jack Frost. But I must admit...you transfix me. Not many have the nerve to be snide to me. What is your name?" He demands. If I were any less stubborn I would tell him. But right now the Irish in me is telling me to swat his hand and punch him in the face. Then there's the humbled youngest child of 7 maniacs that makes me hold my ground and not feed his satisfaction. So in the end I just look at him. And he just looks at me. "I have ways to find out without your help." He informs me. I shrug, like it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

"The police are on their way! Let her go!" A girl from the brass section suddenly states, holding her phone up for him to see. The man gives her the same disinterested glance he at first gave me, but this time it stays disinterested.

"Well it seems my time is limited now. And there doesn't appear to be any annoying Frost spirits here." He murmurs lazily, starting to slowly circle me. "But before I go, first meetings usually warrant introductions. And since you won't tell me your name, I'll tell you mine. Pitch Black, King of Nightmares. But children know me as the Boogeyman." His predatory grin never leaves his face as he grandly introduces himself. A few kids behind me murmur, and I'm sure one is chuckling. But if "Pitch Black" can hear them, he doesn't acknowledge them. His eyes are on me as I keep a blank face.

"We're not children. Although I'm sure I'm not the only one drawing connections between your initials and a certain delicious spread for toast and sandwiches." I smirk. His eyes narrow and his grin grows smaller for a moment but then it returns.

"I assure you, I existed long before your mockery and the subject thereof." His eyes finally flick away from my face and towards an empty part of the auditorium. "Max...isn't it." He smirks and I can't help the little falter I get. How the hell... "I told you I have my ways. Maxious Butler. Youngest of 8 children, the only sane one of the lot, but that's not really saying much is it?" He goes on. I really don't want to know how much else he knows, so I stop him.

"Okay you know my name and I know yours. But as you pointed out, time is short and there's no Jack Frost. So may I suggest you do whatever it is you're planning and then leave?" I demand. There's no mistaking the spark of madness in those golden eyes. He does have something planned. But what? And why is it suddenly including me? If I had just kept my mouth shut.

"I'll be seeing you again Max." Pitch says ominously. I make a face of disappointment.

"Damn. And here I was hoping this was only a one time invasion of sanity." He grins one more time, getting far to close to me for comfort before putting his lips right next to my ear.

"You have no idea what your future holds now Max. But just know, you won't like it." With that he steps back towards the dark corner he came from and with a chilling laugh disappears. The last things I see are those disgustingly haunting eyes peering right at me in delight. The second he's gone, the sand over the pit recedes and we all snap back into it. Jash leans over the side of the stage and sighs.

"They're breathing. I think they're asleep." He informs us. A dozen kids run up to the side to peer over with him, and one jumps down to check their pulse. I'm slowly backing away from the group as they head towards the rim of the stage. Once no one is looking, I turn and run for the band room. I have to get out of here. I don't know where to go, or what to do, but I can't stay here. Not if there's even a chance Pitch will come back.

"Hey, wait!" I ignore the voice. Probably one of my band mates trying to interrogate me. I just pick up my pace. Something cold and wet hits the back of my head, an embarrassing 'eep!' escaping my lips. I turn angrily only for my bitter words to be frozen on my tongue. The kid in the hall facing me is like no one I've ever seen. Abnormally skinny and almost translucently pale with 100% white hair and blue tints to his cheeks and lips. He's probably only a few inches taller than me, wearing brown jeans, a blue hoodie with what looks like frost around the neck and sleeves, and no shoes. And he has some sort of weird shepherds cane that he's twirling happily. He gives me a cheeky grin and tosses another snowball up and down in his hand. "Thanks." He smirks.

"For what?" I demand.

"Distracting him."

OOOOO

_So that's that. Just an idea I got while at my band practice. I wish something like this would happen in reality. Just for shits and giggles. I do have more, but only if people are interested in it. Leave a review or something to let me know and there may be more up soon._


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Okay I should have warned you guys that I'm terrible at updating, but if I did warn you, you have been warned again. I know it's been a while, but here I have provided you a nice chapter that hopefully will not disappoint to much. Let me know!_

_OOOOO_

"_Thanks." He smirks._

"_For what?" I demand._

"_Distracting him." _

"Distracting him from what?!" I don't mean for my voice to crack, but I'm getting fed up with all this bullshit. He shrugs innocently, but I give him a glower that I can only hope conveys how not in the mood for coyness I am.

"From me." He finally says simply. Realization dawns on me.

"You're Jack Frost."

"The one and only. I think." He does a wide sweeping bow, looking very proud of himself. Weird. I always pictured Jack Frost a little...older. Why would Pitch be after a teenager? He catches me looking him over and that cheeky smile emerges again. "Not what you were expecting?" He guesses, and an involuntary blush creeps over my cheeks.

"If you're Jack Frost, why is the Boogeyman looking for you? And where were you three minutes ago when I was on that stage? And what the heck are you doing in Arizona?" I list the three most pressing questions on my mind.

"Ah, down to the good stuff." He floats, apparently on the nonexistent breeze, to the water fountain in the hallway and perches on top of it, like some kind of parrot. "I'm in Arizona to hide from Pitch. Three minutes ago I was in the rafters, hiding from Pitch. And Pitch is looking for me...because I may or may not have caused a blizzard in his lair and iced over the exit." He smiles ever so innocently, but I sense an overabundance of mischievousness behind it.

"Why would you do that?" I ask, my voice a bit louder than I meant it to be. Footsteps start coming from the direction of the stage, and before I can process it, Jack has tossed some sort of glass sphere at the ground and muttered something about someplace called Burgess. With a swirl of colored lights, a portal opens which Jack pulls me through without hesitation. The feeling of being sucked through a straw and then floating in midair fills me before I crash face first into a pile of snow. Sputtering, I sit up and wipe the frozen water off my face before looking around. I'm in a small patch of powdered ice, probably summoned by Jack as a way of cushioning my exit of the portal. But beyond the snow, I see I'm in a forest. Like green trees, moss, and flowers _forest_! Not the stupid Saguaro Forests that Arizona is so proud of.

"You okay?" Jack's voice shocks me out of my revere and I realize I'm still sitting in a melting puddle of snow looking around with my mouth open like a fish.

"I...I don't know." I admit. Suddenly I feel very unsettled. Like everything that's happened this morning is finally catching up to me and kicking my ass. Pitch. Jack. Magic portals. Snow. This is all crazy. And I'm not sure I even believe it's really happening. I mean how can any of this be happening. "Where are we?" I finally ask, when I realize he's just staring at me. He stares for another few seconds before deciding I'm not going to have a stroke or anything.

"Burgess. My friend lives here." He motions off in some direction where I guess houses are. "I thought it would be better to talk here." He explains when I give him a confused glance.

"Talk. Talk about Pitch?" I guess.

"And you. And me." He confirms. With a sigh I stand all the way up, brushing off water and leaves before sitting on a rock.

"So talk. What is this all about? And I'm still hung up on how you could be in Arizona. Isn't it a bit hot for you?" I figure it's the easiest question for him to answer at the moment. He uses the wind again to take him to a low hanging branch, which he immediately gets comfortable on.

"Everyone assumes that because I'm Jack Frost that I can't be in hot places. Truth is, it doesn't really affect me at all. I enjoy Hawaii just as much as I enjoy Antarctica. But, only a few people know that and the others would never think to look for me there. Or...I hoped they wouldn't." He frowns.

"So you were trying to steer clear of Pitch by kicking it in a place no one thinks to look for you. And you chose the Auditorium of my high school why exactly?"

"Well it was pretty chilled, what with the industrial size AC unit you guys have." I shrug. "And I like music. So I figured there were worse places I coulda chosen." I'm not sure whether I should be insulted or not by the tone of his voice, but I just motion for him to continue. "When Pitch showed up, I thought he'd find me for sure. If he's smart enough to follow me to the exact auditorium in the exact city of the exact state, which I chose only _because_ I thought no one would look there...well I thought I was doomed. But then you distracted him and I was able to find a little hole to squeeze into where his sand and shadows couldn't find me."

"Glad I could help." I murmur sarcastically. "Did he mean what he said? Is he going to be back for me?" I ask quietly. Jack frowns.

"Probably. But, if it makes you feel better, he'll most likely come for me first. And hey, maybe he'll forget by the time he does get me." He doesn't sound too hopeful about it though. He attempts to smile, but I don't even try to return it.

"And this is all about a prank?" I ask with annoyance.

"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that. I've been trying to keep him in his lair all week." Jack sighs, like he's exhausted, and lays back on the thin branch.

"Only this week?" I question. He peeks at me from where he's dramatically reclined.

"Haven't you wondered why you can see me? And why you could see Pitch? I'm nearly 98% sure you didn't believe in either of us before today." He has a point.

"I've heard of you both, but no. I never believed in you." He winces. "What does that have to do with anything though?" I ask instead of waiting for him to theatrically explain it.

"Most of the year, no one can see us, except those who believe in us. And by 'us' I mean all immortals. Good, bad, famous, infamous. Anyone who is not mortal, cannot be seen unless they're believed in. But there's this thing that happens for only seven days of the year. It's hard to explain, but basically everyone can see everything. You can see me and Pitch, even though you don't believe in us. Most immortals hide during the Week of the Sight. But a few power hungry, attention starved souls will go out of their way to make sure people start believing in them."

"Pitch, I'm guessing." I interject.

"Yeah, Pitch. But...he's kinda the "bad guy" so the Guardians put me in charge of keeping him underground for the week." He smiles happily, but I'm a bit confused.

"Okay, who are the Guardians, and why did you piss Pitch off to keep him underground?" He looks slightly alarmed for a moment, before pacifying himself and sighing.

"The Guardians are the people who protect children and their hopes, wonders, dreams, and memories. Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman...and me." He states grandly with more than a smidgen of pride.

"And Pitch is the anti-Guardian. You wanted to prevent him from gaining too many believers so you made a blizzard in his lair and iced his exit. But he got out, and followed you to Arizona, which you went to specifically because it's the unexpected climate to hide in, and he just so happened to run into me and discover I would be a nice little toy to play with. Great." I mutter, dropping my head to my hands. I hear a rustling then suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry about Pitch. I know how it feels to be targeted by the freak. I mean he's practically my grandfather." He rolls his eyes, but I sit up a little in interest.

"Grandfather?" I demand. He flinches a bit, obviously regretting bringing that up. But I grab the curve of his shepherds crook to stop him from going anywhere. "You're not just his watcher, are you Jack?" Again he flinches.

"No. His daughter, Seraphina Pitchiner, or Mother Earth, bought my soul from the Man in the Moon so I could be reborn as an Elemental Spirit after I died. So she's my spirit's mother. Which makes Pitch my spirit's Grandfather. I mean, usually Man in the Moon decides what someone will become, but she desperately wanted me to be her Frost Spirit." He shrugs.

"Man in the Moon." I glance up, and I can vaguely see the trace of the pale sphere in the sky. There even in the day. Jack follows my glance and frowns ever so slightly, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets. "You okay?" This time I ask.

"We don't always see eye to eye, MiM and me." He huffs. I nod slowly, and yank on his staff. He hardly seems to notice it, but looks down at me again.

"What can I do...to keep Pitch away? Now that I know he's real?" He opens his mouth to say something clever no doubt, but then closes it and rubs the back of his head, tousling that white hair slightly.

"I don't know. But I know who would know, if you're interested." His eyes light up slightly at the thought of whoever it is.

"Well, seeing as I can't really have Pitch showing up all the time while I'm at school...I guess I don't have a choice. Take me to them." I stand up, brushing moss off my bottom. But I'm surprised when he doesn't go for another of those weird glass spheres. Instead, he loops an arm around my waist and launches off the ground with a gust of the wind. Immediately my arms go around his neck and a little exclamation of surprise escapes my lips. He smirks, and pushes on faster, the wind rocketing him through the sky with familiar ease.

"Are you scared of heights?" Jack chuckles, as my grip on him gets tighter the higher and faster we go. If I weren't clinging to him for all I'm worth, I would slap the grin off his face. But I suppose I should hold off on that until my life is no longer dependent on how tight I hold him,

"No! It's just a little unnerving when there's nothing separating you from the ground but a mile of air, which I happen to fall through pretty expertly." I snarl. This time his grip tightens, pulling me, if possible, even closer to him.

"Don't worry, I won't drop you." He promises.

"Oh thank you so much for your reassurance." I mutter. His grin grows. I glance down, seeing mountains rise and fall at astonishing rates. We must be going pretty damn fast. Still, not fast enough since we're not arriving yet. "Why didn't we use your nifty portal things?" I question in annoyance as he dives into a cloud. They're not as fluffy as I imagined them from the ground. It just feels like one of those mister things at outdoor restaurants that are supposed to cool people down. Still, how many other people can say they've made a hole in clouds?

"I only have a few. They're for emergencies. And this isn't exactly an emergency." I glance at him, then at the ground that is way to far away for my liking.

"Sure. Emergencies. Where are we going again?" He doesn't answer, just nods his head towards a particularly tall mountain. I frown, but watch as we get closer. He swoops up suddenly on an air current and I can see over the top of the mountain. My eyes go wide at a giant floating castle made completely of...golden sand. Just like the kind Pitch manipulated but bright and warm. I feel happy just looking at it. Like all my discomfort with flying is just gone. Jack seems to notice from the way I relax.

"The Sandman lives here. I'm not sure if he'll be in or not, but at least we can try. And he'll have a couple more snow globes we can use to get to Santoff Claussen." He explains, swiftly using an air current to dive bomb towards the floating castle. I squeal a little, then blush in embarrassment. I haven't squealed at anything since I was like three! But Jack just smiles. He descends slower as we get closer, until he's floating gently over a balcony of sorts. I slip from his grasp, half expecting to fall right through the golden sand. But my feet only sink into the sand a bit before finding solid ground. A smile unconsciously grows on my face as I reach out a hand to one of the pillars on the balcony. The sand feels smooth, and tiny. Refined and soft so I almost can't feel it. Jack watches me with his own subconscious smile.

"It's beautiful." I murmur. His smile grows.

"Come on. If he's here, he'll probably be in the kitchen." He nods his head towards the door of the balcony. Inside I see a library of sorts, and beyond a couple of rather large shelves, I see another door. I want to know what's beyond that. Something about this place is just reducing me to when I was a kid. I always needed to know what was next. What happened after something. How far the walls of the box extended so I could push past them. Before the Night Terrors started taking their toll on me.

Jack leads the way, floating idly, never touching the ground. And he uses the wind to blow open both the balcony door and the library door. Said secondary door leads to a long hallway, that seems to curve as it goes. Both ways look identical, so I rely on Jack as he floats off to the left. It's companionably quiet as we go. Jack doesn't speak and I can't think of anything to say, so we just let it be quiet. All the way up until we stop at a door. Being the mischievous frost spirit that Jack Frost is, he can't resist a little prank. He summons some frost onto his face, making a long white beard. Then he barges through the door, surprising the small golden man who's also floating above the ground.

I gape at the Sandman from where I'm standing in the doorway. He's so...adorable! Short and stout and unbelievably cuddly looking. And he gives a big wide smile full of warmth and love as he sees Jack. Then he cracks up with silent giggles as he spies the frost beard.

"Sandy, thank MiM you're home! I found this-" He stops, pretending to just then notice the way "Sandy" is laughing at him. "What?" He asks. Sandy summons a matching golden beard for himself as a way to communicate to Jack. I smile to myself. I like the way he speaks. Without words and charismatically. It makes him that much more adorable. "Yeah, nice beard but I don't get it." Jack says dumbly. Sandy points at his golden beard then at Jack's frosty one. Jack feel his face, acting surprised when he feels the beard.

"Do you always grow extensive beards when you invade his house?" I can't stop myself from asking. Jack looks at me over his shoulder with fun filled eyes and gestures for me to join them.

"Sandy, this is Max. She's the reason I'm not playing target practice for Pitch right now." Jack tells the little golden man with a smirk. Sandy smiles really big and kicks up off the ground to hug me around my neck. "Yeah, I like her too. But, we're sorta in a bit of a predicament now. I don't suppose you have any snow globes lying around that we could use to get to Santoff Claussen quickly?" Sandy thinks for a moment before nodding enthusiastically and motioning for us to follow him.

"He doesn't speak?" I whisper to Jack as he leads us.

"Never that I've heard." Jack nods. Sandy takes us to a room with literally a thousand shelves. Reaching up and up so high that I can only barely see a circle of light from the windowed ceiling. He float around a bit, searching for something, before his eyes land on a large box about ten shelves up. He makes a big show of summoning a ladder with his dream sand and climbing up to the box. He pulls out a couple of snow globes and then closes the box again, floating down without his ladder. He gives one to Jack and one to me.

"Thank you." I smile as he gives me the gorgeous sphere. He bows low.

"You coming with us?" Jack inquires, already shaking the snow globe a bit. Sandy shakes his head, making a couple of characters over his head with his dream sand. The best I can decipher, he still has to eat breakfast, and then has some dreams to deliver to somewhere in Asia. "Well thanks for the ride." Jack winks, then tosses the globe down and grabs my hand. I wave before I get sucked in with Jack, and the last I see of Sandy is his waving back.

OOOOO

_Next Chapter: North and Bunny meet Max, and Pitch makes a surprise appearance in a surprise location._


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: I think I kinda failed at North's accent, but accents are kinda hard for me to write. Anyway, just try to think Russian while you read his lines. Hopefully it's not too bad._

OOOOO

The queasy feeling of portal traveling isn't any different from the first trip. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. Jack seems to have no problem though, appearing unfazed once we've stepped through. Meanwhile I have to reach out for something to hold onto. Which just happens to be something big and alarmingly fuzzy. Slowly I look up and nearly have a heart attack at what I see. A yeti. A freaking yeti!

"Hey Phil." Jack grins, again unsurprised whereas I think I'm about to have an aneurism. The yeti makes some kinda of garbled remark to Jack, and then gestures to me with a question mark in his eyes. Jack clears his throat and speaks to the yeti in the disjointed language, he sounds kinda goofy doing it, but apparently it gets the point across. "Phil" murmurs something back at him and then kinda sorta smiles at me, tousles my hair, and then lumbers off.

"What...just happened?" I ask.

"That's Phil. Head of security. He just wanted to know who you were." Jack shrugs.

"He's a yeti." I point out.

"Yeah. Oh, wanna see something cool?" He doesn't give me a chance to answer, just pulls me over to stand by some rail, and points down a couple of floors. I can just barely see what looks like a workshop. And the yetis that swarm it, running toys this way and that. Wrapping presents a mile a minute. Constructing things as fast as I can think, which is pretty fast if you don't mind me bragging a bit. The yetis are running this place. But...isn't it Santa's _Elves_ that do the hard labor? I cast Jack a curious look which he seems to read perfectly. He points again, a little to my left, and I follow his directions. A group of foot tall things in pointed hat-shirts are climbing on top of each other to get to a plate of cookies. They're small and noisy, with bells on the tops of their points. They don't look that intelligent.

"Those are the elves?" I ask, restraining my giggles.

"Yup. Pretty useless. But they're fun for a laugh. And cookies. They make good cookies." He remarks, twirling his staff. I smile at him, and he tilts his head to the side.

"I'm in the North Pole."

"Yeah, so?"

"No Jack, I don't think you understand. I'm standing in the North Pole. Something everybody told me didn't exist. I'm literally defying reality right now." He starts smiling now too. "I'm in the freaking North Pole!" I repeat. He grabs my hand.

"Wanna meet the man of the building?"

"Like you need to ask?" I roll my eyes. We start off running together, me actually keeping up with him. But he may be slowing down for my poor mortal benefit. We run through a group of four yetis, who yell things after us, but they don't sound really serious. Probably they're used to Jack running around being a nuisance. But maybe they're curious about the strange girl running around with Jack. I wonder if I'm the first human to run the halls of the North Pole. Probably not, but still. There can't have been that many who have. Talk about behind the scenes privileges. Jack maneuvers us quickly through the halls until we arrive at a huge wooden door. He pauses, like he's debating knocking, and then smacks his staff against the door three times. There's shuffling behind the door and then it's thrown open.

I remember watching Christmas movies when I was younger. You know like the corny _Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer_ one where Santa is a puppet. Or the Tim Allen _Santa Clause_. And between all the different childhood movies and the Coke commercials, I'd constructed a sort of coloring page outline of what Santa would look like. And the man in front of me is about 100% not that outline. I mean there's the white beard and rosy cheeks and blue eyes, and he's even wearing red. But he's huge! Tall and buff, not _fat_, but _buff_. And he's got Naughty and Nice tattooed on his arms like a bad ass! Overall he looks like someone who could kick my ass and take all my stuff. But his smile is so genuine that I don't think he could hurt anyone unless provoked pretty heavily.

"Jack! We were wondering if you were alright! Is Pitch contained?" He asks in a magnificently awe inspiring Russian voice. He doesn't even seem bothered by the fact that there's some unknown teenage girl wandering around his home with Jack Frost.

"Actually, no. That's why we're here. North, this is Max. Max, meet Santa Clause. We call him North." Jack introduces happily. North turns his warm smile to me and I can't help but return it. He seems so genuinely warm and friendly. Though, I suppose, Santa Clause _would_ be warm and friendly. He opens his arms and sweeps me into a bone breaking hug. It's much more intense than the hug with Sandy, and I think I'm going to suffocate for a second, but then he puts me down. Jack laughs to himself.

"Welcome Max! Please, come in." He stands aside for the both of us to come in. Jack pulls me in alongside him and then floats over to one of three large armchairs. One of the chairs is behind a huge desk that's got chunks of ice piled all over it, as well as ice sculptures of toys that are put to the side or on the mantle of the huge fire place or just scattered around the room. It looks like he was working on some sort of doll when we knocked.

Jack has taken up sitting in one of two armchairs that are by the fireplace and are separated by a small round coffee table. And the other one is taken by, no joke, a six foot, man sized rabbit. I freeze in my tracks, looking at the rabbit. As if bad ass Santa wasn't enough. This guy looks no less intimidating. He's got gray fur with blue tribal markings on his arms and legs, and piercing green eyes. Eyes that are sizing me up as I'm sizing him up. My eyes linger on the boomerang he's polishing. Oh good. The Easter Bunny, as I'm assuming this is he, has weapons.

"Jack, be polite, get chair for guest." North says, sounding every bit like a parent. Jack makes some exaggerated noise of complaint and the Easter Bunny smacks him over the back of his head. Which brings a smile to my face, but a frown to Jack's.

"Go get a chair." He tells Jack, but he's smiling to himself. I get the feeling these two have a sort of sibling rivalry going on. And I find that it's kinda adorable. Jack stalks off, sticking his tongue out at the Easter Bunny. He grabs my hand briefly before leaving, smiling at me.

"Be right back." He promises. I nod and he races off, a shout of alarm coming from outside. Probably a yeti if I've learned anything about Jack yet.

"Please, sit." North tells me, gesturing to the seat left open by Jack. I give him a nervous smile and awkwardly walk to the chair. The warmth from the fire would be overbearing if it weren't for how cold it is. I glance out the window and see miles of white snow. Still, huge freakin fire.

"So, Max." The Easter Bunny states my name like it's the starter of some intense conversation.

"Yeah?" I ask, nervously glancing between him and North.

"What brings you here?" North asks, offering me a plate of cookies. I shyly take a chocolate chip cookie, only nibbling it. The Easter Bunny shakes his head when North offers him the plate as well, instead polishing his boomerangs a bit more vigorously.

"Well...I was at school, at a band rehearsal, and a fellow called Pitch Black showed up." Easter Bunny Man pauses in his polishing but then resumes, his movements tense now. North frowns, but nods for me to go on. "We had some banter, he talked about trying to find Jack, and then he left because some girl in the brass section said she called the police. When I went to leave, and Jack stopped me. With a rather well aimed snowball to the back of my head."

"He does that to everyone." The Easter Bunny mutters. There's the sound of wood scratching wood, and some huffing from the hallway, before Jack yells something in Yetish. We all watch the door until a red furred yeti lumbers in with a large chair, Jack following after him with a grin on his face. "You couldn't just get a small one that you could carry yourself?" Easter Bunny asks with a sneer.

"Nah, this one is much more comfortable than any of the ones I can carry. Bunny hasn't said anything bad about me yet has he?" Jack winks at me, settling into his new chair after twirling his staff some. I grab hold of the curved part and pull it away from him. He frowns, but it's not a serious one. North and the Easter Bunny seem surprised.

"Only that you have a talent for hitting people with snowballs." I tell him, pointing the staff back at him. His grin grows ridiculously big. I hug the staff to me and smile back.

"Well, what else would you expect from the Spirit of Winter?" He asks challengingly.

"Some discretion would be nice. I thought you had a handle on the Pitch issue." The Easter Bunny, or rather Bunny as Jack called him, growls slightly. "Couldn't keep him underground for one week?" He puts his boomerangs to the side with a huff.

"Hey, I did my best! I sealed off the exit and created a diversion and everything! And five days isn't bad, considering how badly he was trying to get out and spread his influence! I'm sure you couldn't do much better!" Jack shouts defensively. I get the feeling these two are really competitive, from the way Bunny is glaring at Jack.

"I have done better! For years I kept Pitch indisposed the entire Week of Sight! And your first year, not only does he get out, but he attacked a band rehearsal and targets a teenage girl! Gee, how great a job you've done this year Jack!"

"Boys!" North yells. Both he and me have sunk down in our chairs, me lower than him thought. North sits up with a sigh. "Is like having children." He tells me.

"I believe you." I nod. Both Jack and Bunny roll their eyes.

"Now, we must talk about this with level heads." North demands. "What did Pitch say to you Max?" I moan quietly. This again. For some reason it's a bit embarrassing.

"Well he came in all high and mighty like he owned us all and demanded we tell him where Jack Frost was, after knocking out my teacher and the visiting adults, I might add. And, I may or may not have said something on the sarcastic side and then he started paying attention to me. He remarked about the fact that I was standing in front of the others, sorta the leader of the group, by accident mind you, and then he said that I was no Jack Frost, but that I made him curious as not many people were snide to him." I say rather quickly. Jack smiles slightly at me.

"Wish I coulda seen that." Bunny admits.

"Oh it was glorious." Jack assures. I give him a halfhearted glare and continue.

"He asked my name and I didn't tell him, making him kinda annoyed. That was when the girl from the brass section told him that she'd called the police. He said he was limited on time, but didn't seem that concerned, instead giving us a grand introduction of himself as Pitch Black, Kind of Nightmares." I say with fake reverence. Bunny's lips twitch into a smile. "I joked about his initials being the same as Peanut Butter and he was not amused. He somehow figured out that my name was Max and that I'm the youngest of eight, at which point I kindly and calmly told him that unless he was going to actually do something, he should get the hell out."

"You should have seen his face." Jack sniggers. "I mean before he got that creepy glint in his eyes." He adds when I give him a look. It's true that he did look somewhat surprised that I would talk to him like that, even despite the fact that all I had been up until then was sarcastic. But, I remember, the shock didn't last long. And the creepy look had gleamed in his eyes pretty soon after the surprise passed.

"Anyway, he promised he would be back for me and then he disappeared. While the kids in band rushed forward to check on my teacher who was still knocked out, which I hope he never lives down, I snuck out. Jack caught up with me and it's been an interesting morning since then. We've chatted about a lot of things." I finish with a sigh. North looks deep in thought, stroking his beard. While Bunny has crouched in his seat a little, seeming to have some sort of internal debate. I glance at Jack, who shrugs.

"This is problematic. Pitch has never shown any interest in mortal before, especially not a female. It almost sounds like he was flirting." North states finally. Well that's troubling to hear.

"Flirting? With Max? And what do you mean he's _never_ shown interest in girls? He's like super old, and he's never been with anyone?" Jack seems alarmed.

"Not since he became Pitch Black. He had wife and daughter before he was changed, and he's never wanted another. But, you may have reminded him somehow of someone in his past." North strokes his beard again, looking intently at me. Bunny and Jack do as well. Just before I feel like I should ask if I've grown an extra head, my phone starts ringing. The _X Files_ theme song that's set as my ringtone pierces the serious atmosphere right in half.

"How the hell do I even have reception here?" I mutter as I dig my phone out of my pocket. It's my mom, probably getting curious as to why I wasn't there when she dropped the reeds off. If she dropped the reeds off. "Do you guys mind?" I ask, a bit mortified that this is really happening. North shakes his head so I jump up, tossing Jack his staff, and practically run to the hallway. "Hello?" I nervously answer.

"Maxious Butler where are you?!" My mom's shrill voice demands. I flinch a bit.

"I'm with a friend." It's not technically a lie. But serious, how in the hell could I explain this to her without her admitting me to a psycho ward?

"I got to the school with your reeds and the police said someone had attacked Mr. Tocker, and Mr. Albridge, and Mrs. Tocker, and that he threatened you! But that when the police got there you were gone, and we were all worried, and who are you with?" She exclaims, rambling a bit. I quickly go through my mental contact list to figure out which of my friends would be in walking distance of the school, but who my mom wouldn't have a way to contact and validate my story.

"Uh, I was scared so I walked to Melissa's house." I hope she can't tell that I'm lying. But, she's never really been able to tell before. She takes a deep breath and sighs it out.

"Thank God you're okay. What's her address, I'll come pick you up. The police have questions they need to ask." She explains. Shit. Okay, time to pile on the lie.

"Uh, we're actually out getting ice cream. You know how I need ice cream when I'm stressed. I'll just have them drop me back by the school when we're done ordering." Please, oh please, don't see through it. Please just be oblivious and leave it be.

"Well, okay. Just be quick about it. I don't want to spend all day here." Wow. Already switching back to the impatient woman, who actually has no need to be impatient because she never does anything.

"I'll hurry mom." I promise. She manages to squeeze a goodbye in before hanging up. With a frown I hang up too and stalk back into the room. "I have to go back. They need my statement." I tell them grimly. They all look at each other before Jack gets up and moves to my side. He has yet another snow globe ready in his hand, probably new from North.

"Please come back when you have a chance. We can try to make some sort of defense against Pitch for you." North says with a small smile.

"Yeah. I'll keep Jack with me in case I get a spare moment." I smile at him, and he smiles at me. Bunny suddenly jumps up.

"I'll go with ya. Better two Guardians than one." He explains, tucking his boomerangs into their legit holster. Jack glances at him curiously but then his usual smile resumes its place. "'Cept I'll be taking the tunnels. Where to?" I give him the address for my high school and he nods before tapping his foot on the ground twice. I gape as a hole appears in the middle of the room, which he jumps through instantly. Jack rolls his eyes, tossing the snow globe as the tunnel closes.

"Show off."

OOOOO

Tooth hummed to herself as she took a moment off from giving out addresses. Most of the world was either awake or already collected by now. She had a while before the next group of children would be going to sleep and her fairies could be sent to collect teeth. It was always nice to pause and relax and watch her fairies do their work. She had started taking more time to appreciate her helpers ever since the Pitch incident when she had lost them. She had never felt more heartbroken than when those nightmares had taken them.

She cast the thoughts of the incident away with a little shake of her head. That was a long time ago. And Pitch wasn't going to be rising to power anytime soon. Certainly not this week. She had faith that Jack would keep Pitch busy. Even if the Nightmare King did escape the ice barricade she knew Jack had set up, he would probably spend his time chasing the, in his eyes, infuriating Winter Spirit around for revenge rather than build a campaign of evil.

Baby Tooth spotted her mom passively looking out at all of them and zoomed over to her, chirping happily to ask if anything was wrong. Tooth just shook her head, a smile lighting her face. No, nothing was wrong. At least, nothing that she knew of.

Both of them were too content to notice a nightmare slither from shadow to shadow until it approached the teeth of a certain teenage girl. The small, but strong, nightmare carefully took the tube of teeth with Max's mischievously grinning face on it and then swiftly slipped away. The whole event happened too quickly for any of the fairies to even notice. And besides, max hadn't lost teeth in years. Who would ever notice the disappearance except someone who was looking?

OOOOO

_Dun-dun-duuuuuuun! Sorry my crazy leaked through there for a second. Well what do you think? And, I'm trying to decide if I want there to be a romance thrown in here somewhere. But...between who? Leave all questions, comments, and concerns below if you please. And thank you for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Okay so I usually don't do shout outs, but I'm making an exception. I only have a few reviews, but three of them are from one faithful reviewer who is the BOMB DIGGITY! Soaringphoenix86, you know who you are! But in all seriousness, I can't tell you how much your reviews motivate me to keep writing this story, and quickly too. I like to keep my adoring masses happy. Or rather, adoring four people who read this... anyways! I hope you all like this new chapter! Also, this chapter is super long, but don't get used to it. I just had a lot of time with which to work on this one. The following ones ones will not be this long. _

_P.S.-Just a note to remind you that Max has suffered from Night Terrors since she was a kid, so don't be surprised when it's brought up in this chapter. Also I'm changing her brothers name from Lance to Luke._

_OOOOO_

Jack is not happy surrendering his staff to Bunny, but we both tell him it's necessary. We managed to get to the school before Bunny, appearing just before the Spirit of Easter did in the drama changing rooms. Which was perfect because Jack would be needing a change of clothes if he was gonna follow me around like a normal kid. Bunny though would be hiding in the shadows type of thing. There's not enough makeup or wigs in the world to disguise a six foot rabbit.

"Come on, would it really be so weird for me to walk around with it?" He asks, frowning so much his lip actually juts out. I toss him a pair of jeans and a shirt that should fit him, prying the staff from his fingers.

"It'll be fine, it's not like he's gonna loose it!" I hiss, shoving the staff into Bunny's hands. Jack glares at him for a moment before pulling off his sweater. I'm so busy looking for shoes that I don't even realize he's taken off his pants until I stand up again with some tennis shoes. "Whoa!" A blush instantly covers my cheeks and I spin around, facing the blank wall. "Why aren't you wearing freaking undies?!" I demand.

"Never needed to. Why, what's wrong?" He asks, the sound of fabric rustling as he pulls on his new jeans.

"What's wrong? I just saw your junk!" I point out, my cheeks getting even redder. Bunny smirks a little at my reaction, obviously finding the whole situation hilarious. I send a glare at him before daring a peek over my shoulder. Jack has the jeans on and is wrestling with the shirt. With a shudder I turn back around, tossing the tennis shoes at his feet.

"So what?" Jack shrugs, finally getting the shirt on. The whole outfit doesn't look half bad on him. His legs look even longer in the jeans, and the black shirt with a D-Backs logo on it really brings out the deathly pale glow of his skin. He unceremoniously plops down on the ground to put on the shoes, glancing up at me as I'm still blushing pretty bad.

"I've never seen that area of a man before, thank you! And now my innocent eyes have been ruined!" I growl but really I'm just upset that he's not upset! I mean he acts like immortals flash each other and mortals all the time! Wait...maybe they do...gross. "Would you just hurry? My mother has the patience limit of...well you." He sticks his tongue out but pulls on the other shoe a bit quicker. I can tell he's a bit off balance without his staff, but it's already going to be weird that I show up after the incident this morning with a guy no one has ever seen before. If he was toting around a shepherds crook too, well that would just be icing on the crazy cake.

"Do you think your mom will like me?" Jack grins devilishly, looking very sure of himself.

"Jack my mom doesn't even like me." I roll my eyes. "You'll be within earshot? If something goes down? I would not put it past Pitch to make a second appearance and freak the shit out of the adults as well." Even though I've only talked to him for a grand sum of like three minutes, I'm relatively sure I'm hitting the mark with that prediction. And from the way Jack nods, I'd say he thinks I hit the mark too.

"I'll be nearby." Bunny promises, bundling Jack's clothes up into a sack and strapping his staff onto his holster so it lays diagonally across his back. Jack make a sound almost like a whine so I grab his hand and pull him with me out of the dressing room, which is conveniently located in the same hallway as the bathrooms. Talk about awkward. Coming from the direction of the bathrooms with a boy. My siblings would have a field day. But, luckily, we don't run into anyone. Jack keeps hesitating to look around as we go, but then I'll look at him and he'll get the picture.

"Max!" Just before we reach the band room I'm stopped in my tracks. Jash is standing in the doorway, having nearly bashed me in the face by opening it nearly almost as I reached the stupid yellow caution circle. He immediately pulls me into a hug, so tight that I wonder if he intends to let go. "Oh my god I was so worried! After I checked on Tocker and the others, I went to find you but you were I gone! I was worried the creep had come back and snatched you!" He tells me, finally letting go but holding me at arms length.

"Well, I'm fine." I tell him, though it's by all means a lie. My mind is still buzzing with everything that's happened today. And, standing outside the band room looking at a boy I've known since middle school, it's easy to believe none of it happened. But then I look over and catch sight of Jack, looking awkwardly at us and leaning against the wall. "I just had to take a breather. I was a little freaked out."

"I can't imagine why! But you totally rocked it man! We all think so. The way you stood up to him like that...if you hadn't I think we'd all, at the very least, be seriously injured right now." He tells me, pulling me into another big hug.

"Did you say Max was here?" The band room door opens again and Ally steps out excitedly. She spots me immediately and then she's the one squeezing the life out of me. "I can't even start! We'd all be dead if it weren't for you, I just know it! Oh Max!" And there's irony for you. These are the same people who just a few hours ago left me alone at the front of the stage as a shadowy psychopath threatened me. And now, they're my fan club. I can't help the twinge of bitterness I get, but I don't show it.

"The police are inside, they need to talk to you. And you're mom is too. Come on." Jash points out, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door. I reach out and snatch Jack's hand before I can be yanked inside, making sure to drag him with me. As soon as the door opens, everyone turns to look. And then there's a stampede. First it's the kids from my class, all twenty some of them, crowding around me and shouting things that rang from 'thank you for sticking up for us' to 'you kick ass Max!' and one kid even asks if I'm single. Yup. Irony. But then its the police in front of me.

"Excuse me, you're Maxious Butler?" A police officer has made his way through the raging fan crowd to put a hand on my shoulder. I nod solemnly and he gestures to the band director's office. Inside the window I see Tocker, my mom, and two other police officers. I keep a firm grip on Jack's hand as the officer leads me to the office, a place I've only been like twice. It still seems foreign and scary to me.

"Max! I got here and you were gone and I was so worried! Oh sweetheart!" Mom immediately hugs me, and it's much more suffocating than even the crazy fan mob was. Maybe it's because I was honestly frightened earlier and you always want your mother when your frightened. Or maybe it's because deep down I know, this big motherly affection and hug...it's mostly show. It's what is expected of parents after their kids go through something "traumatic". As much as I want it to be a real hug with real love and concern behind it, I know my moms love and concern can only stretch so far, after all I am the youngest of eight kids. That a lot of people to love. And I'm the weird one, with the weird eyes, who was probably dropped off at the wrong house by the stork. I think it's suffocating because it's a lie. And that hurts more than I thought it would.

"Please have a seat miss Butler. And, you are?" I look at Jack again, remembering he's there with a blush to my cheeks.

"He's a friend of mine. Melissa and me saw him while we were getting comfort food and he volunteered to drive me back to the school so Melissa wouldn't have to." I spin the lie so quickly I can't help but wonder how my mind works so fast. But they don't seem to care about friends who drive me places. They only care about my statement. The police man who's obviously in charge, gestures to two empty seats and Jack and I sit awkwardly.

"We're getting varied reports. Now we know that Mr. Tocker, Mrs. Tocker, and Mr. Albridge were incapacitated, all of your peers agree on that. But then it starts to vary. A couple of students said the man appeared from shadows, "like a magician", and others said he must have always been there hiding in the dark part of the auditorium. Let's start there." The police chief, Officer Waldren as his name tag says, suggests and pulls out a pad to write on.

"Uh, well I didn't notice him at all before he incapacitated the adults." I throw his words back at him, trying not to be snarky. "And he was just suddenly there. But I don't know if he was hiding, or he had some sort of magic trick planned to scare us. He was just...there." He scribbles down on the pad and then consults his notes on what the others said.

"One student says, and I quote, "He controlled sand to tie up Mr. Tocker and the other two. He made the sand drop them in the orchestra pit." Care to shed some light?" He asks.

"Well it could have just been an illusion, but it really seemed like he was controlling the stuff. But, I mean, there's technology for that kind of thing these days. Right? I mean, with the right mind you can create anything." He gives me a wary look, like he can tell I'm only giving him the answers he wants, but I can also tell he's interviewed close to thirty people today and just wants to be done. So he scribbles it down and goes back to his notes. I can't help but glance at Tocker, who's looking intently at me. "What do you think happened?" I ask him, as bravely as I can.

"I _think_ I was directing a rehearsal and then, you pointed at Johnny's legs and there was black sand crawling up it. And I _think_ it pulled me over the pit and let me drop. I _think_ I was trying to get out, and then everything went black. And then next thing I _know_, paramedics were checking my vitals and everyone was saying you saved them from a freak of nature, but that you were nowhere to be seen. Only thing is...why would you want to run. You'd just been threatened by a "freak of nature" and your first instinct is to go get ice cream?" He narrows his eyes, our friendly competition over who's more of an idiot raging even now.

"I was scared! I didn't want to stay in that auditorium if there was even a change he would come back! And yes, my first though was go get comfort food! Because I needed to be comforted!" I hiss back at him. A light shiver goes through me as I abnormally cold fingers twine with my own. I look instantly at Jack, who smiles reassuringly at me, calming me marginally. With a huff I sit back, loosing my defensiveness. "I think you're just mad I stood up to him while you were sleeping in the pit." I mutter. He looks like he wants to say something, but Officer Waldren cuts him off, apparently not in the mood for teenage vs teacher squabbles.

"Okay, we don't know how he got into the building, or how he managed to incapacitate your teacher. We don't know what he wanted, other than this person, "Jack Frost" or why he chose this building to look for it. All we know for sure is his alias, "Pitch Black" and that he threatened you. And believe me I heard enough about that from your peers. Is there anything that you can think of at this time that will help my investigation that you think I may not have heard yet?" He demands, his exhaustion showing clearly in his tone. For his sake, I shake my head. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can hear his heavy sigh of relief. He pulls out a business card type thing and hands it to me. "If you think of anything, call. Otherwise, we'll need to call you in some time next week to do a visual profile of him. See if we can get his face up on the news."

"Alright." I nod. He then turns to Tocker and mom, allowing Jack and me to sneak out. Before anyone can notice us and swarm, I quickly veer off to the locker rooms. And the second I step in the room I remember something very important. "Where's my instrument?" The last time I had it was on the stage! Did the police collect it as evidence? Or did someone pack it up for me? I rush to my locker, only to find it empty.

"What's it look like? I can help you find it." Jack suggests helpfully. I look at him and all of a sudden I can't take it anymore. Everything that's happened today, all the drama and new information and the lying and the secrets. My eyes fill with tears that I'm trying desperately to keep from falling, but Jack sees them anyways. He sweeps his arms around me, letting me sob quietly on his shoulder. My hands wind around his neck, his resting just above my waist.

"This sort of thing never happens in real life! Why is it happening to me?" I ask, sniffling. He thinks for a minute before looking down at me.

"Because only cool people do awesome things." He smiles slightly, and touches his nose to mine. The tiny brush leaves my nose cold and now I can honestly say my nose has been nipped by Jack Frost. Hmm. It's enough to bring a smile to my face and I brush away any of the damn surprise tears that managed to escape. I hate it when my body makes me show emotions. It makes it so hard to keep up the appearance that nothing can touch me. "So, for real, what's your instrument look like? We'll find it." He promises, brushing my hair behind my ear. I look around, noticing a poster with all the instruments pinned up at the back of the locker room.

"Here, I'll show you." We haven't even taken six steps when suddenly the door shuts behind us. Bunny is leaning against the door, my instrument in his hand.

"Wrestled it away from a Nightmare while I was doing a perimeter." He tells me, carefully handing it to me. My face immediately pales at the mention of a Nightmare. I'm not sure, but it sounds creepy enough to be related to Pitch, so obviously not good. Bunny catches the way I'm looking at him, like I'm not sure whether or not to be startled, and clears his throat. "I guess we shoulda mentioned the Nightmares. They're minions of Pitch, in the forms of horses made of his Nightmare sand." I nod slowly, my shoulders slumping. Nightmare horses. That'll make it difficult if/when he comes for me. I'm a decently fast runner, but not faster than a horse made of fear and shadows.

"Don't worry, we're pretty good at taking them out." Jack assures me, glancing longingly at his staff. Just before he can as for it, Bunny starts up.

"You traveling with her or me?" He asks, a trace of a threat in his voice. We all know that if one of them is going to travel in public with me, it will be the one who's not a six foot tall rabbit. Jack makes a sound that's about half way between a moan and a whine before crossing his arms over his chest. I give him a small consoling smile and open my case to put away my instrument, which is cold to the touch now that it's been out in the open air for so long without being played. It's as I'm disassembling it that my curiosity is piqued.

"What would a Nightmare want with my instrument?" I glance at Bunny, who cringes a bit. Why do I get the feeling he didn't want me to ask that question? But, lucky for him, the sound of people approaching comes from outside and he quickly ducks into a tunnel. Jash dramatically throws open the locker room door and grins almost maniacally at me. Like serious, he looks a bit Jack-Frost-like right now. Speaking of Jack, I glance at him, still pouting, and Jash follows.

"Hey, have we met?" He asks, though he hardly seems enthusiastic. I finish my busy work and close my case with a definitive THUNK.

"Uh no." Jack says simply.

"How do you know Max?" Jash presses.

"We met through a mutual friend." I tell him with a discreet roll of my eyes, not letting either of them see. Jash presses on, not deterred by the obvious tension in the air.

"Oh, so do you go here, or what?"

"He's home schooled." I quickly provide. "And we've gotta go. I'll see you on Monday, okay?" He traps me in a hug before I can sneak out.

"I'm really glad you're okay. I never said so, but this band would suck without you Max. You're not only the best player, you provide all the entertainment." He tells me softly. I try to hide my blush from Jack, who's frowning at us already.

"I'm only the best because I'm like two grades above all of you." I remind him, awkwardly slipping from his grasp. He laughs all light hearted like it's the funniest thing he's ever heard.

"Ya, but I tell you...I've never been so happy that Tocker had that stupid vendetta against you as I was today. You really stood up for us Max. I mean, who knows what would have happened if you hadn't." He blushes for some odd reason and I awkwardly pat his shoulder.

"Right, well, no creepy magician is threatening my band mates while I'm around." I tell him, hoping he doesn't catch the quiver in my tone. Honestly, if I could go back and do it over, I wouldn't say a word. Cuz as great as it is to meet Jack Frost and Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, it totally sucks knowing you have the full attention of the Nightmare King focused on you. But I won't ever tell anyone as much. Just cuz I'm truly a big fat coward inside doesn't mean I have to tell people as much.

OOOOO

Mom doesn't even comment when Jack climbs into the car with us. She does however ask where he lives as we start driving.

"Actually, mom, I was wondering if he could come over. Just for a while, he's kinda keeping me sane right now." I tell her, with only a light blush. She glances at me and then at him in the rear view mirror, with a soft smirk on her face. I roll my eyes but I know that no matter what I tell her right now, she's keep believing to herself that I have a romantic interest in a boy she's never even met before. But for once, I'm glad she has no real concern for me and will let me do pretty much anything I ask.

"Sure Max. Your dad will be home. When I called him about this whole mess he immediately got in his car." She tells me. A small nagging feeling of guilt pulls at my stomach. Dad's a lawyer, thus why my mom doesn't have to work, but on the weekends he volunteers at this cool hanger where they maintenance old airplanes and stuff from wars, which is right up his ally. He always wanted to be in the Air Force, but he went deaf in his left year after being in an accident, so that dream was ruined. Volunteering at that hanger is his escape from the normalcy and monotony of everyday, and thanks to me he has to skip this week.

"You didn't have to call him." I murmur with a bit of a frown. She arches an eyebrow.

"You get threatened at school by a fanatic psychopath-"

"You make him sound like Moriarty." I huff, sinking lower in my seat.

"Regardless, after the morning you've had I would expect a little insanity. But not calling your father? Of course I called him!"

"He hasn't had free time to volunteer for the last three weeks. Now he has to come home early." I point out. She looks at me like I'm crazy.

"You need to think more of yourself Max. You could have been killed today. Killed! And now, caring more about your fathers volunteer schedule than yourself. You frustrate us all sometimes." She complains.

"I'm sorry, I'll try to be more conceited in the future."

"Don't start being snarky to me!" She snaps. I don't answer, just glare at the windshield. She does too, an awkward silence taking over the car and pressing on my shoulders. I make everyone around me uncomfortable, I know it and so does my mom. Eventually all car rides end like this. Everyone quiet, or angry, or both. My family jokes that I am the conversation killer. I finally look up at Jack in the mirror, and he offers me a sad smile. His fingers fiddle a bit, and then he has a little music note made of frost in his palm. I grip my instrument a little tighter to me, giving him a small smile back. Music will always be my comfort. "So, who are you exactly?" Mom finally asks, catching the glances between the two of us.

"Oh, I'm Jack...Overland." He hesitates, but only for a second. So short that my mom just shrugs it off as nervous.

"How do you two know each other?" She continues, and just like that, all traces of our mock argument are gone. Like it never existed. That's how everyone in my family is. Instead of dealing with something or getting to the bottom of it, they let it get awkward and quiet and angry before completely ignoring it. If there's anything I've actually learned from my family members, it's that it's always easier to ignore something than to deal with it.

"We have a mutual friend." Jack quotes me from earlier. Mom nods with a knowing grin. Like she has everything figured out about us and our relationship. And who knows, in her mind, she just might have the whole thing sized up and stuffed in a pretty package. And no one could ever convince her differently.

"How long have you known each other?"

"Long enough." I say through gritted teeth, but mom either doesn't notice my annoyance or is really good at ignoring it. Oh who am I kidding? Whether or not she heard it, she doesn't care either way. Cuz I'm usually pissed off and hissing things through gritted teeth. She goes on to interview Jack for the rest of the drive, asking if he's staying for dinner (yes), and whether he goes to my school (I'm home schooled), and what he wants to study when he goes to college (my dad wants me to go for engineering but I think I'll go as an art major). And many others. Overall I have to say Jack holds his own in a potentially stressful situation.

"Mom he's not interviewing for a job." I finally remind her. Thankfully we've just turned onto our street so it's almost over. As soon as the engine is cut and I get out of the car my sister is pulling me into a hug.

"Oh my god I didn't believe it at first when mom told me, but then I saw the news and I got so scared! I'm so glad you're okay!" She tells me. I fight back a groan at how tightly she's hugging me. Molly is hardly ever nice to me, since she's the closest sister to my age and we were forced to play together when we were kids, but when she is nice, this happens. She gets all protective of me and pretends that we've never had a fight with each other in our whole lives or anything. The first time it happened was when I was in kindergarten and a third grader pushed me off the swing. So molly pushed him off the playground. The fall broke his arm.

"You doubted me?" Mom sounds so offended from where she is, getting out of the car.

"Come on mom, this kind of thing always happens to other people in other places!" Molly reminds her with a roll of her eyes. "Who're you?" She suddenly sees Jack and smiles.

"Jack Overland." He immediately supplies, holding out his hand sorta awkwardly. Molly gives me the exact same look mom gave me and shakes his hand.

"Nice to meet you." It may be my imagination, but I think she just winked. Oh good.

"Yeah, you too." Jack replies awkwardly. I grab his hand and follow mom towards the house. Molly follows after, back to fussing over me. She keeps talking about how I'm an idiot, standing up to some creep when he could have killed me or hurt me or done any number of unsavory things. Oh if only she knew.

"Max." I'm expecting to see dad. But seeing Luke leaning casually against the kitchen counter throws me off slightly. While dad volunteers on weekends, Luke works. Like for money. He shouldn't be missing work!

"Why are you here?" I ask him, not even realizing how rude that sounds.

"Mom called me, I thought I should come see if you were okay. I imagine it was a stressful situation." I glare lightly at my mom. Is there anyone she didn't call? Do all my neighbors know the story, or should I get my megaphone out? I set my instrument down on the counter and let first dad and then Luke hug me. I vaguely hear the TV going in the next room, that combined with the fact that it's still before two means that Molly and Luke will be my only siblings that will want to talk to me. "They talked about you on TV." Luke mentions.

"What'd they say?" I ask, though I really don't care.

"Here, I'll show you the clip." He pulls out his phone and brings up a video feed he'd been watching earlier. He hands me the phone and Jack and me huddle around the screen.

"_-where earlier today during a band rehearsal, a man attacked band teacher Wilson Tocker and two other adults before threatening a group of students. A few of the students were able to comment._" The camera switches from the reporters face to one of the trombone players, I think. He looks excited to be on TV, but still visibly shaken about the incident.

"_He was just like suddenly there! And like he used this like magic sand stuff to like push the adults into the pit! And he was acting like all tough, but Max totally called him on his *BEEP*_." I suppress a grin and watch as Ally appears.

"_I don't know what would have happened if Max hadn't stepped up. She didn't looks scared at all or anything!_" It switches to another brass member.

"_He was just some creep, probably thought he was being a bad *BEEP* but he was just insane._" The reporters face reappears.

"_Student Maxious Butler was unavailable for comment_." The feed runs out and I hand the phone back to Luke.

"You're famous." Molly winks. I frown slightly, leaning against the counter. I feel kinda weird being praised when I was just being a sarcastic pain in the ass like I always am. If I were any less a stubborn bitch, I wouldn't have said anything and Pitch would have found Jack and I could have just pretended this whole thing never happened. But instead, here we are. Speaking of Jack, he's leaning next to me, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"And you are?" Dad finally notices Jack.

"My friend Jack." I say dismissively. "You should probably go back to work." I glance at Luke, who kinda clenches his jaw.

"I took the day off. They understand." He tells me.

"I feel bad making you miss work and making dad miss volunteering." Mom rolls her eyes, probably thinking I'm more than a _little_ insane. "Besides, I'm fine. I was even going to ask if I could go hang out with Jack? Since my rehearsal ended early and everything." I try to joke, but like usual it doesn't work.

"Well...I guess that's fine, but are you sure you're oka-"

"I'm fine mom." I insist, feeling uncomfortable. My mom is not good at acting concerned, and we all know it. She looks at my dad, who nods, then tries to smile at me. I kind of hug my parents and nod at Molly and Luke before grabbing Jack's hand and pulling him out the door.

"Well that was awkward." Jack points out as we start walking down the street.

"That's my family. We're born awkward." I sigh. He squeezes my hand a bit tighter and I realize we're still holding hands. And it doesn't bother me.

"Hey! Jack! Max!" We both look towards our left and we both drop our mouths at the same time. Bunny, well I'm assuming it's Bunny from his voice and the tribal tattoos, is smirking at us as he comes towards us. He's a man. Well, he's in the shape of a man. A freaking hot man, at that. He's wearing brown cargo pants but no shirt. His skin is tan and he's got the same tribal marking that were on his fur tattooed on his arms. He's got hair the color of his fur, all shaggy and shiny and I bet it feels like silk! He's got a square, strong jaw and a killer smile of dazzling white teeth. But his eyes are the same shocking green as before.

"Bunny?" I ask, my eyebrows raising.

"Yeah, I decided to change form for the day. I almost forgot Pookas could do it, so it didn't really cross my mind until half an hour ago. Now I can be in public with you." He states with a grin. Jack's got a look that's half way between confusion and irritation.

"So...you can form change...into a human?" This is crazy. I've seen a lot of weird shit today, but the fact that the Easter Bunny is a kick ass six foot rabbit who can turn into a kick ass six foot model from the Abercrombie and Fitch catalog is just too much.

"Yeah. Haven't done it in years though. Did I get something wrong? Oh MiM, did I forget the ears?" His hand reaches up to brush through that gorgeous hair and his chest piercing smile returns when he finds that he did not in fact forget the ears. "You okay? You both look a little..." He doesn't finish. Jack and I look between each other and back at Bunny.

"Where's my staff?" Jack says instead of acknowledging Bunny's statement. Bunny smirks and nods towards a house that proudly says it's for sale.

"I had to hide somewhere. The back door was open." He explains and leads towards the house. "So, everything settled? Ya ready to go back?" He asks me, holding the door open for me.

"Uh, yeah. I should have at least a few hours. I think mom and dad are tired of dealing with me for today." I sigh. "So are we doing tunnels or portals? I think I left my snow globe at the North Pole, so unless you guys have one..." Bunny's smile drops.

"I can't tunnel travel very well in my human form. I guess it's gonna be portal." He says grudgingly as he gives Jack his staff and clothes. Jack rummages through the sack of clothes until he finds a snow globe. "I hate those." Bunny mutters.

"Grow up." Jack sticks his tongue out and shakes the globe. Bunny looks like he wants to reply, but Jack tosses the globe and gestures for the two of us to go first. With a sigh I mentally prepare myself to portal travel again. This day has gone on for a really long time, but I think it's just beginning.

OOOOO

Mrs. and Mr. Butler were not as cold and unconcerned about Max as it might appear. They loved their daughter, but she was just so different and often upset that they often didn't get to show their love. They fought about her more than they fought about any of their other children. But they knew if Max knew about their fights, she'd take it as a remark about herself. It was just easier to pretend they weren't concerned. But this whole situation was not one that should be handled in their usual manner of ignoring it. They could see Max was upset, no matter how hard she tired to hide it. But, there was no way she would tell them if they asked. She would take it to the grave if she wanted to. They had to wait for her to open up.

So they let her go "hang out" with her friend and both retired to their room to commence in a heated debate about the situation. Luke and Molly both went their ways too, leaving an utterly empty kitchen. So empty that when the fearling appeared, it went completely unnoticed by any mortals.

The shadowy creature had no problem taking the girls instrument. It was gone before there was even a chance that it could be caught, taking Max's only passion, her instrument, with it. It's master would be pleased.

OOOOO

Pitch tapped his fingers on his throne in irritation. He'd sent out five Nightmares to acquire the things he knew he would need in order to get Max, and now he was impatiently awaiting the return of four of them. Why did it take them so long? Or did it just seem like a long time because the Week of Sight would be ending at midnight tomorrow and he only had until then to enact his foolproof plan? He doubted Max would suddenly stop believing in him once the Week was over, but he couldn't take any chances. He _had_ to be sure she was in his grasp before then. But, like always, he would be methodical and precise in his ideas and attacks.

He was a general. He was a soldier. He made plans and he followed them ruthlessly, almost always getting what he wanted. The only reason he had not succeeded in his struggle with the Guardians was he did not account for that wild card of a grandson he had. Jack was constantly throwing even his most detailed plans to ruins, and it was starting to annoy him. Not Max though. This time, he wouldn't let the guardians or his grandson stop him.

It was curious, even to himself, his strange connection with Max. He'd known her longer than either of them knew at first. Her family history of Night Terrors was what first drew him into her life. It was routine at first, her Night Terrors. The same as the others, find her weak link, her greatest fear, and blow them out of proportions. Due to the families history of more imaginative and open minds, he knew it would only be natural for her to experience the same childhood terrors as her sibling and parents. The only thing that threw him off with the youngest child, a little girl with the spirit of an unbroken stallion, was her apparent fearlessness.

She gave Pitch quite a struggle as he could only give her shallow meaningless Night Terrors for the first few _years_! So when he broke through her shield at long last and found her true fear, he completely abused the poor girl's mind and emotions, savoring her fear made sweeter by the taste of victory. But soon enough it faded back into routine. She was a bit of a challenge for him, enough to make his life interesting for a while, but then she was just any other child. He did maintain her Night Terrors into her teens and now young adult life as a sort of sick vengeance for taunting him with an apparently fearless mind, but he hardly even paid attention to it in recent times.

The fact that Jack had chosen her auditorium to hide in was purely a coincidence, but he had never been so pleased with his grandson's terrible planning or perchance for playing with fate. He knew she was familiar when he'd first seen her, but he'd been too busy thinking of what he'd do to Jack when he caught him that he hadn't drawn a connection. It was only when that ruthless sarcasm came out that he truly saw her, and he knew her immediately then. The way she held herself so tall when he could feel her fear coursing from her. How she was brave on the outside, appearing unbreakable even, but in fact a scared child inside reminded him very much of the child who's large fears were hidden behind superficial worries and things every person feared. He knew in that moment that she was not someone he should have dismissed easily.

So he bantered with her. He made the others fear for her, even if she refused to hint at fearing for herself. For how much he knew she was afraid, she was equally fearless. It was disturbing to him that she could be so composed when he knew deep down she must have wanted to crawl away and hide. How she could bury such emotions puzzled and infuriated him in a way that made him want her. Not in a romantic or sexual way, no, though she did remind him of a woman he once loved. No, he wanted to conquer her. To feast on her insecurities and make her fear him. He wanted that more than he wanted to rid himself of the pesky Guardians. So he'd stopped making plans to get believers in this Week of Sight and begun making plans to get Max. He was sure he could become strong again just from her fear alone anyway.

So he would get his hands on her and never let go. He had a well thought out design and he intended it to succeed. How could it not? It was already in motion. And with that thought, he looked up to see one of his fearlings swooping into the lair with Max's instrument in it's clutches. The servant placed the object on a platform that already held Max's teeth box on it and the it sank into shadows. Pitch thoughtfully opened the case of the clarinet and ran his spidery fingers over one of the only things Max really loved. He left the case open and turned his attention to the other item he'd acquired.

He grinned as he held the tooth box and looked at the little painted face on it. It looked startlingly like Max, all smile and confidence on her face. But even in this simple profile picture, the lavender eyes sparkled with unshared tears and secret fears. So secret she'd never tell anyone, not even herself. She hid them away after every Night Terror. She kept them locked up so not a soul, not even herself, could use them against her. Except Pitch. Because she'd never be able to hide them from him.

The first and second of five items were here. With them and the other three, he'd win. There was no doubt in his mind. And the best part was, the Guardians would bring her right to him in the end. They'd practically wrap her up and give her as a gift! He wouldn't fail this time. He would not let anyone stop him, not even his grandson. He would acquire Max and she would be sorry she ever crossed his path. But, he thought with a dark chuckle, she probably already was.


	5. Chapter 5

_OOOOO_

We appear in the North Pole at the same place we did last time. But, when I reach out for something to steady myself with, I get Bunny instead of Phil. He smiles down at me as I get my legs to support myself.

"I'll never get used to that." I murmur, referring to the portals. He chuckles.

"They're not my favorite either." He acknowledges.

"Jack! Bunny! Max! You are returned!" North bellows happily, appearing from an elevator. But, with him, is Sandy and someone I can only guess is the Tooth Fairy. I take a good long moment to gape at her as she flutters up to us. She's beautiful! She's all technicolor, her feathers going from a beautiful gold to royal blues and deep greens. And she's got wings! Like a humming bird! They're almost entrancing to watch as they move so quickly that they almost disappear. And then there's her bright violet eyes! I look at those the longest, since I've never met another person with purple eyes.

"You must be Max! Sandy and North have been telling me about you! Oh you're so beautiful! And you're teeth are gorgeous!" She dotes as she circles around me quickly, with no apparently concept of personal space. "Oh, I'm Tooth!" She says happily when she sees me looking at her with confusion. "The Tooth Fairy!" She adds as an afterthought.

"It's nice to meet you." I let myself smile slightly, though her constant buzzing around me is a bit dizzying.

"We weren't expectin' ya ta be here." Bunny points out, gesturing to Tooth and Sandy. At this North looses his jolly smile and a look of grave seriousness comes over his face. He has us follow him, looking around suspiciously at the dark corners of his own workshop. He doesn't say anything until we're all shepherded into the same little room as before. More chairs are in here now, enough for all six of us. I take the one closest to the fire and Jack swoops in to take the one next to me just before Bunny can. I quirk an eyebrow looking between the two of them. They're acting a bit strange. I wonder what that's about. Bunny mutters something about "Bloody snow spirits" before settling in the next seat.

"Did all go well?" North asks, though he still has that serious look on his normally happy face.

"My band teacher thinks I have something to do with all this. Jack had to meet my family. Bunny changed into a man. And a nightmare tried to make off with my instrument." I list with a sigh. North nods slowly, his frown increasing when I mention the nightmare.

"Wait, why're these two here. Not that I'm complainin', but..." Bunny again gestures to Sandy and Tooth, who both look similarly troubled.

"North sent me a message, asking me to meet him here and bring Max Butler's teeth. He thought they might help figure out some way to keep Pitch away. But, when I went to find them...they were missing. At the end of the...most recent Pitch incident I made sure every tube was back in it's slot. Her's was there! But, now it's gone." Tooth explains, looking almost close to tears over the situation. Bunny and Jack both look shocked.

"He took her teeth?" Jack demands.

"What does that mean? What do my teeth have to do with anything?" I don't mean to sound scared, but their reactions to the news are very troubling to me.

"Teeth hold most important memories of childhood. They play big part in persons life. When child needs to remember something, Tooth and fairies help them." North explains with a heavy sigh. "This was troubling news to get. But even worse, when Sandy showed up." We all look to the small plump man who looks angry. Symbols flash quickly over his head, but I'm not getting most of it.

"Let me Sandy." Tooth suggests. "He only got here a few minutes before you guys. He was at his home, making dreams, and he sensed that something was off. He found a Nightmare taking one of his most powerful spell books. He did all he could, but the nightmare still vanished, taking the book with it. The thing is, there are so many spells in it that we can't be sure which one Pitch is trying to do!" She explains, the distraught look in her eye only growing.

"I fear even I do not know what he could be planning. Why he would need such an odd combination of teeth, spells, and instruments...but you say he did not get the instrument?" North looks at Bunny, who shrugs.

"Not from me. Where is it now Max? We should probably send someone to get it."

"I left it at home. You don't think Pitch would send something into my home do you?" That's just...no. That's not okay. No one wants to think their home is unsafe, but I mean...my whole family is there! What if one of them were hurt by some clarinet snatching horse?

"I'll send some of my fairies." Tooth immediately volunteers and flutters out the door to issue the order. Through the little crack of the door I can vaguely see some tiny humming bird shaped fairies buzzing around their larger counterpart, chirping excitedly.

"It has been long time since I saw you as man, Aster." North suddenly points out. Aster? I can tell he's talking to Bunny, but Aster? I look around Jack at Bunny.

"I thought it might come in handy if I need to go in public with them." He says almost defensively. Both North and Sandy start smiling a bit to themselves, but neither say...or sign anything. I lean back into my seat and look at the fire. This is all weird. I mean the sitting in the North Pole with five mythical beings is pretty crazy. But what in the world would Pitch need with my teeth or instrument? Whatever it is, I have a feeling I'm not going to like it. But, he stated I wouldn't like my future before, at the practice. My mind wanders a little bit back to the morning. The way he acted so superior and mighty. And the piercing gold eyes, as well as his really startlingly soft skin. I absently touch my skin where he touched it earlier.

"You okay?" Jack whispers. I drop my hand back to my lap and nod. "We're gonna stop him." He tells me, sounding much more confident than I feel. "The Guardians have beaten him many times, long before I was even reborn."

"And if all else fails we can just offer him Jack instead." Bunny smirks and Jack shoots him a fierce glare.

"Boys." North rolls his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. I settle further into my seat and wrap my arms around myself. For how warm the fire is, I suddenly feel very cold and very scared. Despite their promises, I can't help feeling like Pitch might win this time. They didn't see the crazed, manic look in his eyes. They didn't feel the threatening aura he radiated as he towered over me. But I did, and I don't think I'll ever forget the feeling.

OOOOO

"Please mom, I just need a night of girl talk and chick flicks. To calm my nerves." I look out a window as I talk, my eyes taking in the sheer extent of the frozen land around the North Pole. It seems to go on forever, blending into the sky and continuing into the air. I almost wish my mom and family could be here to see it. Almost.

"We're worried about you Max. We really want you to be here at home." Mom insists.

"What will being home help mom? I'll sit in my room and read, or watch TV like I always do and wish I was at Melissa's." She's never cared about me staying at a friends house before. Hell, she let me stay at one friend's house for three days straight and didn't ask me to call once! But, she's probably still thinking she needs to act all motherly because of the thing today. "I'm fine, or I will be fine after a long night of _Sherlock_ and cookie dough ice cream." She doesn't reply for a long time, probably rubbing her temples in frustration. We both know what she's going to say, but we also both know how hesitant she is to say it.

"Okay. You can stay at Melissa's. But I want you to call me before you go to bed and when you wake up tomorrow." She sounds exhausted. Probably her and dad had a good fight about this whole situation after I left with Jack. They like to think I don't know they fight about me, but I know everything. If I don't hear for myself, one of my siblings tells me. They're my little spies, I buy their information in exchange for chores.

"Thanks. I'll call later." I tell her before hanging up. My eyes return to the vast white desert in front of me. I slowly put my hand against the pane of glass, the sting of cold soaking into my hand. It burns, but not with heat. Almost like Pitch's touch. Ugh! Why can't I stop thinking about that?! I wish I could just not think about Pitch at all. But he's always tugging at my mind like an annoying bug that won't shoo.

"What'd she say?" Bunny asks from somewhere behind me. I had taken my call away from the Guardians into an empty room, but now it's not as empty. I can't tell if I'm glad for the sudden company or if I wish I was still alone. My mom sounded so tired. Because of me.

"She said I could stay. I have to call her before I go to bed and when I wake up. Shouldn't be a problem, my battery is still at 78% power." I hold up my phone before putting it in my pocket. Bunny's suddenly beside me, the dull sun that's barely making it's way through the thin cloud cover shines against his tan skin. He's still not wearing a shirt. But, I imagine he probably doesn't even want to be wearing the cargo pants. He's probably used to being clothes free. I wonder if he's commando, like Jack, as well.

"It must be strange. She thinks you're in the same city still, and here you really are. The top of the world. That's a lotta miles from Mesa." He murmurs.

"It is weird. My first trip out of the country is to the Arctic." I acknowledge.

"You been many places? Outside Arizona?" He asks, leaning against the wall about the same as I am. I glance at him to find that he's looking at me. I immediately return my gaze to the endless field of ice outside.

"California and Oregon. But I was really young when I went to Oregon."

"Never been to Australia then." He frowns.

"I wish. My mom lived there for a couple years while her dad worked on some secret naval base. Every now and then she'll show us the pictures and things she got there." I can't help but smile to myself. "I want to go there. I want to go everywhere. If I could, I'd travel all over the world." Now he's smiling too. "What?" I ask, feeling a bit self conscious.

"You should travel. I think you'd do well traveling." He states rather than say what's obviously on his mind. I decide against asking more questions. The entire day has taught me sometimes it's better to leave things alone. "I'm sorry about your instrument." He whispers. Instantly my sorta good mood vanishes and that cold feeling I got by the fire earlier returns, stronger by ten. The baby teeth, as Jack calls them, had gone eagerly to bring my instrument back to the North Pole. But when they got to my house, they couldn't find it anywhere. They searched every crevice and corner and didn't find even a trace. Pitch got it too.

"I don't understand what he could want with it. Or my teeth. I mean if he's trying to be an annoying pain in the ass, job well done! But otherwise...I just don't get it." He looks thoughtfully out the window for a moment before straightening up and pulling me into a hug. At first I'm a bit confused, but then I hug him back. And I'm more surprised when the cold feeling finally goes away. Maybe it's because he's so warm. Or maybe I just really needed some form of comfort, a hug suiting the situation perfectly. I wonder if he knew I needed a hug when not even I knew I did. Damn immortals and their all knowing ways.

"Hey Max, North had the yetis make a room up for you." I nearly jump out of my skin at Jack's voice. Barely concealed venom is boiling in his tone and he's glaring daggers at Bunny.

"Uh, thanks. I might go take a nap. It's been a long day." I say awkwardly, slipping away from both males and quickly into the hallway. I catch sight of North and Sandy "talking" together in front of the huge lit up globe and decide I'll try to find Tooth to take me to my room. I don't want to disturb their conversation, and I certainly don't want to interrupt World War Immortal that's about to go down between Jack and Bunny. Something is definitely going on between the two of them. They've been acting all tense ever since Bunny changed into his human form. Glaring at each other and muttering things.

It's easy enough to find Tooth. She's fluttering around the hallway giving off addresses to her little posse of humming bird fairies that follow her around. When she sees me, she smiles and zooms right up to me.

"How are you? Did you hear you have a room? Oh, what did your mom say?" She asks in rapid succession.

"Uh, I'm good. My mom said I could stay, and I was actually wondering if you could take me to my room." I list. She smiles and nods.

"Sure! It's this way. Hey are you sure you're okay, you seem a little sad. And sorta...confused?" She leans her head to the side as she looks at me and I try to give her a smile.

"Well I am confused, but I don't think it's anything you can explain. Mostly it's just why Pitch is hunting for random stuff." She shrugs, turning to give addresses out again as she leads the way.

I look around at the workshop as we go. It's so magical and just buzzing with activity and preparations for Christmas, even though December is still seven months away. At every table there's an ice model of a toy, and then real models made by the yetis. It's really cool, and if I weren't so absolutely exhausted, I'd stop and look at all of them. But, as it is, I can hardly keep myself awake to follow after Tooth. We veer away from the workshop, taking a hallway that's lined with doors. At the very end of the hallway she stops and opens the last door to the left.

The room is pretty basic. There's a big canopy bed, which is awesome, and a bedside table with an old fashioned clock and phone. The bed is across the room from a large window that leads to a small balcony. And next to the window are two doors, about three yards apart from each other.

"North had the yetis make some clothes for you, they're all in the closet there. Than if you want to take a bath, there's towels and everything in the bathroom." She points to the two doors.

"Wait, he had them make clothes just for me?" I can't help but smile slightly.

"Well yeah. It was no trouble, the yetis make a lot of clothes." She twitters. "So, are you sure you're okay?" She presses again. And honestly it isn't just Pitch that has me confused. It's that damn winter spirit and his Easter buddy. They're acting so weird! I tell Tooth as much and she giggles like a schoolgirl. "You don't see it, do you?" She smirks.

"See what?" I demand.

"They're both crushing on you, and so they're seeing each other as competition for the other. That's why they're fighting." I'm sure the color has drained from my face, from the way she's giggling.

"When you say...they're crushing on me..." I don't have to go on, she gets my drift.

"Well I mean it doesn't surprise me. None of us have had any interaction with humans older than like twelve year olds in a long time! Well except Jack's friends in Burgess, but he sees all them as siblings. So it's only natural he would like you. And when Bunny took human form, he knew Aster liked you too, cuz Bunny hardly ever takes human form."

"But how do you know they like me? I mean, maybe they're just acting weird because it's the Week of the Sight!" I suppose. She gives me a curious look.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend Max?" I shake my head.

"I've been the freak since kindergarten. The girl with purple eyes. Around middle school I started liking guys, but I knew none would like me so I never developed that sense girls have, where they know if a guy likes them or is flirting. My friends call me oblivious, but really I've never needed to use that "sixth sense" so why develop it?" She frowns.

"Well, I do have that "sixth sense" and I can tell you that Jack Frost and Bunny both have huge crushes on you." She says with a wink. "Now I have to check on my fairies, but I'll come get you around dinnertime, 'kay?" She smiles and flutters out before I can reply. I mutter to myself as I flop back on my new bed. This can't be happening. It's just her opinion, they can't really like me! I'm the freak! Guys don't like the freak, I've come to terms with that! And they're both immortal spirits! I can't have a freaking relationship with an immortal spirit, even if I wanted to!

I drift off into a nap still pondering this new development. This is just the craziest day I've ever had, and I just want it to end already.

OOOOO

Pitch smiles to himself, watching with interest from afar at how Max reacts to being told Jack and Bunny have crushes on her. She looks almost...distressed. It's interesting to him, but everything about Max is interesting to him. She's no normal human, and everything she does, every reaction to every event just helps prove that to him. And her fear, when he has that too, will be the very opposite of normal. He can hardly wait.

When she falls asleep he materializes himself, looming next to her and looking down on her face. She called herself a freak earlier, and he imagines that to mortals she may be a freak. But immortals can see things differently than foolish humans. He sees her differently. Although he feels no attraction to her, he still feels something. He feels enough that it's difficult for him to not take her now. But there's more he must do before he can take her.

A fearling coils around his feet before twisting up his leg and slithering to his shoulder, it's warm hiss in his ear bringing a smile to his face. It has a job to do, and thought it will have to die for its job, it's willing to do so for its master. Pitch lets the fearling twist around his hand before he lowers his hand to Max's pillow. The fearling immediately uncoils and sulks to the girl, evaporating into a smokey substance and allowing itself to be inhaled into her. Pitch's grin could split his face if he let it. This is all too easy.

Max immediately started to writhe and whimper, a Night Terror brewing in her exhausted mind. Pitch couldn't help but notice how quickly she submitted to this one. But, he supposed, she must be exhausted. It had been a long day for the girl. And she'd left her mind so open as she fell asleep. Probably thinking that because she was in the North Pole surrounded by the Guardians that nothing could happen to her. How wrong she was.

Pitch shifted his weight from leg to leg, watching her face as the Night Terror went on. She looked so vulnerable. For some reason it made his chest tingle. With a frown he decided he didn't like that look on her. He preferred when she was strong and fierce. It was much more amusing, and more of a challenge. He decided in that moment that she wouldn't look like that once he was done with her. When he had what he wanted, and he had high expectations mind you, he would be sure to return her to a strong and challenging state. Maybe, when he had what he wanted, he'd keep her. People kept pets didn't they? He'd always wanted a pet.

The fearling started to appear again, rising like smoke. A swirling silver smoke pulsed like a vine all over it, and a nasty smile curled across its face. Pitch smirked, capturing both the fearling and its prize in a very special glass container. The fourth thing he needed, the subject of Max's Night Terror's, was now in his grasp. Only one more, and he'd have all he needed. And then he'd have her fear. He'd become strong enough to destroy the world, definitely strong enough to rule it. And he'd put the Guardians in their places. And he'd keep Max. Even if just because he didn't want Jack and Bunny to have her.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Hey guys, I'm back. And I'm really, really, **really** sorry about how long it's taken me to get this chapter out! There's been a lot of drama in my house lately, and I've been in sort of a funk. Not to mention, I had to do my other stories as well, and there are a lot of them. I really need to be more productive..._

_Anyway, here's the next chapter! I hope you like it, and I hope you're still with me, even though I probably don't deserve you. Also, the little snippet of Pitch in this chapter features the egg bulbs from Bunny's Warren, so if you're confused, just picture the tulip things that grow the eggs. _

OOOOO

Sandy wasn't sure why he felt so uncomfortable all the sudden. One moment he was telling North, by means of his sand charades, that the spell book held a wide range of spells. The next he felt...the most powerful ache. A deep wrongness that just wouldn't go away. The only other time he could think of that he'd felt this was when he was temporarily a fearling, during the Easter Incident, as they called it. North immediately noticed the change in his friend, especially when Sandy stopped making sand signs, abruptly ending the conversation.

"Sandy? Are you okay?" North asked, concern lacing his voice. Sandy look surprised, as though he'd forgotten North was there, and shook his head. "What is wrong?" Sandy knew even on his most creative day that there would be no way to describe his feelings. Instead he motioned to the workshop and then made an image of Pitch. "You think he is here?" Sandy nodded. It was the only solution that made sense. "We should check perimeter, see if there was disturbances." North said instantly, storming off to find the other three Guardians while Sandy tried his best to follow where his feeling was coming from.

He could vaguely hear North exclaiming angrily in Russian, upon finding Jack and Bunny fighting. But North quickly composed himself and explained the situation. They suspected Pitch was at or near the Pole. But that was all Sandy heard, as he floated off to follow his senses. They were leading him towards the rooms, the dozens of guest rooms. And he had a feeling he knew which one it would be already. But when he opened the door to max's room, all he saw was the girl fast asleep in the made up bed. She wasn't dreaming, but there was also no sign of a nightmare.

He rubbed his chin a bit before floating forward and drawing back the curtains. Not much light entered the room, but it was enough so that he could see little tear tracks on her face, and her hands still in fists. Maybe she was having a bad dream, and the nightmare left before he got here. There was probably a good five or ten minutes when Pitch could have snuck in. Sandy frowned at the thought. But he was also curious. Why would Pitch pop in for only a five minute dream? It was all so puzzling, and he figured maybe he shouldn't tell the others until he had it figured out.

"Sandy?" He turned to find North and the other three in the doorway, looking both confused and concerned. Sandy glanced back at Max, before shrugging and tossing some dream-sand at her. Her hands released their hold on the air and a slight smile settled over her face. Sandy grinned at his friends and led them away, trying his best to explain using his sand charades.

OOOOO

"Hey you look awful." Jack murmurs, leaning way into my personal space. I scowl and lean away from him. "Your hair is going in like four different directions."

"It's called bedhead you dork!" I snarl, pushing against his chest so he falls back in his seat. We're all sitting around a table, North giving me the chair at the head of the table. He's taken the one at the other head, Sandy and Tooth sitting to either side of him, and Jack and Bunny sitting on either side of me. I keep glancing at Tooth, and she'll wink, causing me to blush. I don't want two immortal men to be crushing on me! It's really annoying. Especially because it makes dinner very awkward.

"Did you sleep well through the night Max?" North asks as he passes a plate of waffles to Tooth. It may just be my imagination, but it seems like their hands touch for longer than would strictly be necessary. Hmm, maybe I do have a bit of that Sixth Sense after all. Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy. Nice. I brush away the thought though as I realize they're all waiting for an answer still.

"Eh. Could've been better." I shrug, taking the plate of bacon from Jack, snatching three pieces, and passing it to Bunny. Or rather, Aster, as he's asked me to call him. He prefers his real name when he's in his man form.

"What do you mean?" Jack quirks an eyebrow, taking the waffles from Tooth.

"Oh, I had a short nightmare early on in the evening, but the rest of the night was okay." Everyone except Sandy looks at me quick enough to get whiplash I'd bet. North looks from me to Sandy and then back at me.

"You had nightmare?" He murmurs.

"Well, yeah, but it wasn't even a big deal. It was like two minutes long and I don't even remember what it was about. And I had a really good dream for the rest of the night." Sandy smiles at this, no doubt the dream was his work. But when North looks at him again, his smile drops.

"Sandy, you knew about Nightmare?" He nods a little guiltily. "Why did you not tell us?"

"North, it's not a big deal!" I protest

"It is a big deal, Max. No one has ever had a Nightmare in the North Pole, ever." Tooth tells me with a grimace.

"What, like ever? No one has ever had a Nightmare here?" I ask with a gape. "How long has this place even been here? Never once, during the hundreds of years you've, probably, been set up here!" Aster and Jack are both smirking at me by this point so I kick the both of them beneath the table. Aster jumps a little and Jack lets out an adorable little squeak.

"This is serious matter! I must look at boarders at once, Sandy come with me." Both of them jump up, Aster joining them and leaving just Tooth, Jack, and me at the table. I glance between the two of them and slump back.

"Sorry I ruined breakfast." I murmur.

"No, honey, you ruined nothing. North is just so protective of his home, and everyone in it." Tooth tells me with a bit of a smile. The thought of North being protective of Tooth makes me grin wide, and I decide to test my theory about whether they're together.

"It's so sweet of him to have us all stay here. Where's your room Tooth?" She glances between me and Jack with a bit of an awkward smile.

"It's uh...near yours. The same wing." She's blushing now at my knowing smirk.

"Is it upstairs, downstairs? Near North's room perhaps?"

"Upstairs. I guess it's near North's room, but Sandy's also." Her blush deepens and Jack starts to notice it. He leans towards Tooth with a smile.

"What's going on?" He asks.

"N-Nothing! Max, come with me." She demands, fluttering up and snatching my hand to pull me along. Once we're out of earshot of a confused Jack she starts rambling. "It's not what you think it is! I mean, yes we're together, but it's not like official or anything! And the others don't know, and I don't know how you know when they don't because you've been here for a day and they can't know. It's not like it's against the rules or anything, but I mean, would you want all your family to know that you're dating someone you've all known forever?"

"Tooth, relax! There was a reason I was being discreet and not just calling you out. I won't tell anyone." I can't help but giggle at the sigh of relief that escapes her. "But seriously, how can the other three not notice that you two are together? Are men _really_ that oblivious?"

"Like you wouldn't believe! Especially those three."

"Even Sandy?" I ask incredulously. She hesitates for a second and frowns.

"You know...I have no idea if Sandy knows! If he does, he hasn't said a thing!" We both grin. "You know what I mean." She giggles.

"Sure Tooth. Come on, we shouldn't leave Jack alone for too long."

OOOOO

Pitch had to admit to himself, the way the little flower bud struggled to fight the darkness was almost admirable. For a plant. He'd sent his fearling out to retrieve three of the buds from the rabbit's Warren. Three, because even though he only needed one, he knew there was a good chance that they would die before he could get what he needed. So the backups were necessary. Already, the first bud had died, and it looked like this one might too. It was just too dark in his lair for the buds to survive to their blooming point. Especially since they were supposed to yield little seeds of hope in the form of eggs. But what he needed to harvest was much darker.

He was about to plant the last one gave a little sigh and slumped over. The pink petals shuddered as an ashy gray soaked through them, draining the color. The green stem withered to a black, almost scaly texture. And the previously plump shape of the bulb shriveled into a small circle. It was working.

The first had given up the ghost, maintaining it's yellow color to the end, not letting the evil of Pitch and his minions get to it. But this one...it wasn't as strong as the first. It would give him what he needed. Instead of hope, it would give him the seed of despair. The most beautiful fruit that Pitch could ever have.

With a satisfied smirk he turned away from the bleak bud and towards his little collection. Max's memories, her instrument, the Sandman's spell book, and the trapped nightmare that held Max's deepest fear. Everything he needed was right before him. The bud would bloom before the Man in the Moon rose from the horizon. And once the world was dark, he would enact his spell and everything would fall into place. There was only one thing that could ruin his plan, and he hardly even gave it a thought, it was so unlikely. Besides, in the event that it did happen, he had a backup plan. Oh yes, everything was perfect. Just the way it should be.

OOOOO

The library at the North Pole is nice. It's pretty huge, which is great, but it's also so bright and just nice. Which is why I've been sitting here pretty much all day. North, Aster, and Sandy are still off making amends to the security. And Tooth took off after breakfast to make sure her Baby Teeth were still doing okay. Leaving just Jack and me, in a library. It feels like it should be awkward, except it's Jack! And I feel like I've known him for much longer than a mere 32 hours. He's pretending to read, just like I'm pretending to read, but we keep stealing glances at each other when we think the other isn't looking. It's a pretty fun little game.

"So..." I murmur with a tiny smile when I can't stand it anymore.

"So..." He returns.

"Are all days so mellow around here?" I ask, my eyes still flitting across the page of my book, though I'm not taking any of it in.

"I kinda like the mellow. After the last week, mellow is good." I can imagine. Playing 'Cage the Boogeyman' for a whole weeks sounds fun and all, but let's be serious. I've only spent two minutes with the man and he gives me something that's a step beyond the creeps whenever I even think about him. I can't imagine a whole week of keeping him occupied.

"Yeah, mellow is good. I don't really get mellow a lot at my house either." He perks up at this and pretends to reluctantly close his book, though his version of forced is a little too joyful.

"You don't really talk about your family much. All I really know is that you're all awkward and there are ten of you in total." He blinks innocently, but I can see the mad curiosity raging in his blue eyes. With a forced smile I shut my book as well and set it aside.

"Well, there's not much to say really. My mom's name is Lucy and my dad's is Bill. Luke is the oldest, then Mark, Carter, Zack, Penny, Cole, Molly, and I'm the youngest. My entire life has been one big survival of the strongest campaign. My siblings have always fought together, always hitting their teenage years at the wrong times for the others in the family. And then there was me who, they say, never said a word until I was five. Never cried, but never laughed either. And when I started talking it was all sarcasm and cynicism. Plus my eyes freaked them all out, even my parents.

"Mark always said I got dropped off at the wrong house. They're all gossips and popular kids and team players, etc. And I'm not. I never tried to fit in with them, so now I'm known as the conversation killer and the temperamental brat and the silent plotter, and so on. That's all she wrote. They're them and I'm me." I shrug, but try not to make eye contact with him. He's quiet for a minute before he snatches my hand, quicker than really should be fair.

"I like you Max. I don't know how anyone could not like you. You're honest, and your sarcasm makes for some interesting conversations. I know there's a reason you're the one this is happening to. I think you're the only one who could honestly handle something like this happening to them. Imagine if it was someone else. Imagine one of the other girls in your band class being targeted by Pitch." He smirks rather devilishly.

"God, they would freak. They're already freaking and it's not happening to them!" We both laugh and he squeezes my hand slightly.

"I'm glad you're different. All the best people are different."

"Come on. If that were true, there would be more of us." He's about to say something when my phone rings and ruins the moment. Shit! It must be my mom! I never called her this morning, it must be two by now! I give Jack an apologetic grimace and half run out of the library before I accept the call. "Mom?"

"No, Luke." On one hand, I'm relieved it isn't my mom yelling at me, or worse, pretending to be concerned for me. On the other hand...Luke.

"Oh, hi." I murmur dumbly. I was not expecting him.

"Where are you?" He asks, and I realize that I've stopped in the middle of a hallway, a hallway where a few yetis are having a debate not to far away.

"Melissa's. We're watching a movie. Hang on." I duck into an unused room and take a few deep breaths before lifting my phone to my ear again. "So what is it? What do you want?" To most it might seem kinda rude, the way I talk to Luke. But, it's Luke. He knows better than that.

"Mom and dad have been worrying all morning about you. Wondering if you weren't calling because you were asleep, or because something happened to you."

"I honestly forgot." It's not a lie.

"That's what I told them. Look, I know you're probably dealing with what happened yesterday on your own. But, think about them. They don't have an efficient, effective way of dealing with shit like this. They're freaked Max, and they feel like if they're freaked than you must be too." He has no idea how freaked this whole situation is!

"I'll talk to them tonight when I come home."

"About that, when are you coming home?" Oh. Maybe I should talk to the Guardians about that. It almost feels like they don't want me to go. That they like me being here. But I do need to check into my home at some point today.

"Uh, soon. Ish. I just gotta take care of a few more things. You know, on my own. Then I'll take care of our parents." That just sounds weird.

"Max, I know this is uncomfortable. For all of us. But I also think you and I need to talk, about us. Lately you've been really weird around me and I think they're starting to notice." Another think I really desperately don't want to talk about.

"They don't notice anything Luke. I'll talk to you later." I hang up before he can say anything else and stare at my phone for a moment, contemplating the pros and cons of tossing the damned thing out a window. At least then mom and Luke won't be able to call me. But I like my phone. I can read fanfictions during class with it, when my teachers get boring. Eventually I huff and tuck it into my pocket before rubbing my eyes. It's really warm, and dark, in this room. Maybe it's the mental exhaustion of the last day, but the combination makes me really tired. But I do not need to nap right now. What I need to do is figure out what I'm doing. What the next few days will hold. Tooth mentioned that the Week of the Sight is ending tonight at midnight. But I have a feeling that the end of the week is just the beginning of a whole lot of ugly coming right at me.

OOOOO

_Post AN: So it's a little short, but like I said, it hasn't been a good few months. Please review and I will try to post the next chapter a bit quicker. _


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